By Noah Roberts
A powerful community storytelling event shining a light on people’s experiences of loss within the learning disabled community will take place in Pudsey next week.
The event is organised by Lippy People and supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, part of the Hear My Voice! Project.
A video screening will be held at St Andrew’s Methodist Church on Robin Lane on Wednesday, February 25, from 12pm to 2pm.
The event will feature a series of short films created by storytellers with learning disabilities, each sharing personal reflections on bereavement, grief and loss.
Using the medium of film participants were supported by the team of film makers to help them express and explore the pain of losing someone.
Pete Townson, who studied film making in Leeds and who has been impacted by grief and loss himself, felt the Hear My Voice! project fills a gap in the community.
Pete is the Learning Manager at Lippy People. “The aim of this event is to provide a gentle and reflective space for people to open up and share within their own community their lived experiences,” he said.
Pete explained that the project was set up to give a voice to members of the community who are often overlooked.
The team at Hear My Voice! work with community groups and through a programme of activities and film making capture people’s stories into short documentaries some of which are shared online.
Pete said having their own stories heard and recorded is a powerful catalyst in helping transform their personal pain into a film they can share and use as as a tool to help others.
People who have taken part have learned new skills, gained extra confidence and have gone on to volunteer to take part in the other projects.
“This event is about making space for honest conversations around loss, support, and inclusion,” Pete explained.
“People with learning disabilities have important stories to tell about their lives and experiences, and we want them to be heard.”
After the screening people will be encouraged to be open and connect over a shared experience. Register your interest in advance by emailing Pete at peter@lippypeople.org.
If you want to know more about Lippy People or get involved in a project, share your story, you are also welcome to get in touch by email, no previous experience or knowledge needed.
- You can find out more about the Hear My Voice! Project by following them on social media and can watch some of their videos on YouTube.
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