Connor PR
CONNOR PR WORKING WITH SHOOTING TIGER PICTURES ON THEIR LATEST FILM “WELCOME TO CURIOSITY” UK PREMIERE ARRIVES IN LONDON ON MONDAY 4th JUNE 2018
UK PREMIERE ARRIVES IN LONDON ON MONDAY 4th JUNE 2018
HEADING TO DVD & DIGITAL HD AND SELECTED UK CINEMAS FROM FRIDAY 8th JUNE
Prepare for palpitating, edge-of-your-seat suspense as Salt Film Releasing presents psychological thriller and British feature, Welcome To Curiosity, arriving in selected UK cinemas and heading to DVD and Digital HD across the UK and Ireland from Friday 8th June.
With a stellar ensemble cast, the British indie film was shot in Cornwall and set in the fictional English town of Curiosity. It stars Richard Blackwood (Eastenders, Outside Bet, The Guvnors), Stephen Marcus (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), Amrita Acharia (Game of Thrones, The Good Karma Hospital), Cristian Solimeno (Rush, Love, Footballer’s Wives), Jack Ashton (Call the Midwife, Endeavour, Four Seasons) and Kacey Clarke (The Inbetweeners, Blood Orange).
Welcome To Curiosity explores four parallel storylines with the fates of five key characters unwittingly and sometimes fatally intertwined; a heist gone wrong, a serial killer on the rampage, a lunatic missing from the asylum, a vulnerable girl mixed up with a predatory man and a salesman with a vivid imagination. All with just one thing in common; an insatiable curiosity which may ultimately cost them their lives.
The story begins with the news that psychotic mass-murderer, Lee Hunting, has escaped from a psychatric unit. DS Binon is assigned to track the killer down and sets about a full scale man-hunt.
Arch-nemesis Fordy (Richard Blackwood) and Dexter (Cristian Solimeno) are commissioned by Dexter’s ex-father-in-law to carry out an armed robbery. Having pulled the heist off successfully, Fordy and his gang double-cross Dexter and a firefight ensues injuring Dexter’s right hand man, Al (Eke Chukwu). Dexter and Al escape with the £6 million haul and hide out on a rural farm, taking its owners Martine (Kacey Clarke) and her brother Thomas (Christopher Rithin) hostage. Events soon take a turn for the worse and the unlikely group go on the run as Dexter tries to flee the country.
Zoe (Amrita Acharia) is a young runaway who meets the dangerous and violent Sean (Jack Ashton) at a roadside cafe. The deadly duo embark upon a journey of lust and vengence with tragic consequences.
Elliott (Finn Corney) is young newspaper boy with an inquisitive mind. With the news of a serial killer on the loose in his rural village, Elliott becomes convinced the killer is local gardener, Stubbs (Brian Croucher) and sets out to investigate. But as the net closes in on the killer, will Elliott find out the truth and live to tell the tale?
Struggling beer salesman Tim (Gary Grant) is frustrated and disillusioned by life, which takes him on the road six days a week. He’s also deeply resentful of his boss. By chance, he picks up a hitchhiker who takes him on a wild and precarious journey through the seedier side of life. Events take a surreal and sinister turn for the worse and Tim soon realises his life is changed forever.
Directed by Ben Pickering (The Smoke), with screenplay by Darren Ripley (The Smoke, The Gatekeeper), Welcome To Curiosity is produced by Shooting Tiger Pictures and Taffy Boy Films. Cinematography is by Bruce Melhuish (The Glass Man, I Made This For You) with production design by Hannah Howell. Award-winning music composers, Luke Corradine and Stewart Dugdale are on board, producing a captivating original music score.
Director, Ben Pickering, said: “The film was originally written to be set in the rural United States but various reasons filming there was impractical for us. One of the challenges of bringing it to life on this side of the Atlantic was preserving that quirkiness. Rather than setting it in a town we all know, we created this fictional town of Curiosity where everything just isn’t quite right.”
“We considered shooting the film in Wales (where I grew up) and in secluded rural parts of Hertfordshire, even finding locations in both. And then one day while out with my kids, we stumbled across this vintage American diner called Mimi’s, parked up in an industrial estate near St Austell in Cornwall. It was so completely out of place, I took it as a sign.”
“So we moved the production down to Cornwall, using local cast and crew wherever we could and shipping in everything else. For a low-budget film seeking to punch above its weight, with aerial sequences and firefights, it was an enormous logistical challenge.”
Star, Richard Blackwood, who plays the villain Fordy, added: “We shot the movie before I started EastEnders and it’s coming out just after I’ve finished, which is great. As happens a lot with low-budget British movies, it can take a long time to hit the screens, there so much involved in making these things happen that people don’t see.”
“It’s the closest thing to Pulp Fiction because it’s an amalgamation of different stories intertwining.”
“My character Fordy is basically everyone’s nightmare. He’s borderline psychopathic and will take almost anyone out who gets in his way. But he does it with humour and a smile.”
Welcome To Curiosity hit the headlines in 2014 as the world’s first ever equity-based crowdfunded film through online investor platform, Seedrs.com. Many independently produced films have since gone on to use this equity-based model, which enables investors to own a stake in the film and its profits. Welcome To Curiosity was the first in the world to pioneer this route.
Before landing in the UK, Welcome To Curiosity will also be released in selected cinemas across North America on Friday 25 May. The UK premiere will take place in London’s Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square on Monday 4 June, attended by cast and crew who will participate in a Q&A following the screening.
-‐ENDS-‐
FILM INFO:
Running time: 94 mins approx.
BBFC Cert 15
Watch the trailer: http://www.vimeo.com/welcometocuriosity7
For more information, media interviews or images please contact:
Siobhan Connor at Connor PR on 07966 177025 or email siobhan@connorpr.com
Hayley Hamburg at Connor PR on 07799 714727 or email hayley@connorpr.com
Editors notes:
About Salt Film Releasing
Salt Film Releasing is an all rights UK distributor. Part of the Tiger Lane Group of companies (whose subsidiaries include Shooting Tiger Pictures and Taffy Boy Films), it was established in 2017 to fill a gap in the distribution market for low-budget (less than £500,000 budget) UK British films struggling to gain distribution. WELCOME TO CURIOSITY is Salt’s first UK release, hitting UK cinema screens, DVD shelves and VOD platforms in June 2018. It will be followed by 10-12 releases per year, drawn from the best of the 60% of British films made for under £500,000 each year but which struggle to secure distribution.
About Shooting Tiger Pictures
Shooting Tiger Pictures is a London-based film and television production company run by Welsh film producer-director Ben Pickering. It develops low-to-medium budget British films for the domestic and international market as well as television projects in collaboration with Taffy Boy Films and others. It also offers production services through its parent company Jericho Lane. Shooting Tiger’s first feature, WELCOME TO CURIOSITY, will be released in selected cinemas, on DVD and on VOD in the UK, US and Canada in June 2018.
About Taffy Boy Films
Taffy Boy Films is a Wales-based film and television production company. Headed by writer-director Darren Ripley (writer of UK features THE SMOKE and WELCOME TO CURIOSITY), it develops film and television projects often with a crime theme. Following the release of WELCOME TO CURIOSITY in June 2018 in the UK, US and Canada, it will shortly begin production of the comedy TAFF’S GOLD directed by Ripley and produced by Shooting Tiger Pictures’ Ben Pickering.
Welcome To Curiosity, Ben Pickering, Film, Connor PR, Connor PR and film PR, Connor PR and premiere PR, Richard Blackwood (Eastenders, Outside Bet, The Guvnors), Stephen Marcus (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), Amrita Acharia (Game of Thrones, The Good Karma Hospital), Cristian Solimeno (Rush, Love, Footballer’s Wives), Jack Ashton (Call the Midwife, Endeavour, Four Seasons) and Kacey Clarke (The Inbetweeners, Blood Orange).
VASHI OPENS DIAMOND CONCEPT STORE IN LONDON’S PICCADILLY
VASHI OPENS DIAMOND CONCEPT STORE IN LONDON’S PICCADILLY
“The Brave Make”
The Diamond Engagement Ring and Jewellery Made by You for The One
46 Piccadilly, London
The future of diamond jewellery shopping is unveiled this week, as leading retailer, VASHI, opens the doors to its eagerly anticipated concept store in Central London’s Piccadilly. Set across 1500 square feet and two floors, the disruptive new retail concept has turned the traditional jewellery retail model on its head by putting the customer centre-stage for the first ever deeply experiential proposition. Unlike existing diamond retailers, VASHI’s customers are encouraged to get truly hands-on creating their own rings and other jewellery with diamonds of exceptional brilliance and quality but at price levels substantially below equivalent Bond St and even High St pricing.
“By establishing our first concept store, we want to make you the heroes and heroines, the stars of the show, fully immersed in the incredible and hidden world of diamond jewellery, whether for the love of your life or for yourself – the whole experience is about you, not about us”, explains diamond expert Vashi Dominguez, Founder and CEO of the business established as an online retailer over 10 years ago.
“We are all about helping you to recreate the sort of raw, intense and pure emotion and overwhelming love that brought tears of joy to your parents’ eyes as you proudly presented your first love letter to them, drawn at school – a drawing that was of course treasured for life”.
The extent of the VASHI revolution is immediately clear. Its vibrant windows on Piccadilly showcase the magic and dramatic theatre of diamond craftspeople – the Alchemists – at work right alongside customers in a startlingly modern and disruptive store. The store design is unlike anything in the jewellery sector, with an incredibly engaging story line – even the door handle is crafted from exquisite kimberlite, the birthplace of diamonds deep within the Earth’s crust. Conventional practices are bravely debunked, with diamonds openly on display and accessible to customers instead of locked away behind glass. The atmosphere is disarmingly relaxed and friendly.
Vashi Diamonds, 46 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 25 September 2017
“We don’t really want to sell you what is on display – we always prefer you to handpick your own diamond, to play with them while you choose the one that appeals most to you, match this with your favourite setting – or even design it from scratch – and then put your own heart into making your ring, with us as your support crew”, commented Vashi Dominguez.
“Try doing that with existing retailers”, he added.
The VASHI Journey
A team of resident ‘Guardian Angels’1 and ‘Alchemists’2 are on hand to take you through the full sensory experience of “The Brave Make”3 . After honing in on a design and creating a digital mood-board, you get hands-on with dazzling three billion year-old diamonds, every one of which has been specifically selected for its exceptional brilliance by Vashi himself, until you find the perfect one for them.
Then it’s off into the amazing underworld of the VASHI diamond lab, where you sit right alongside your personal Alchemist at their bench as the Alchemist sets to work with state-of-the-art lasers, chemicals and flames to melt and form precious metal to encase your diamond. You are invited to roll up your sleeves and take part in the creation of your ring, polishing and setting your diamond yourself. Every step on your journey to creating this unique ring is captured as a personalised film to share on social, and as an impressive coffee table book to be shared with your loved ones.
Vashi Dominguez concluded: “I love you, I made this for you” will always win over “I love you, I bought this for you” because you have invested heart and soul into creating your own unique and very intimate symbol of your love”.
VASHI is located at 46 Piccadilly and is open 7 days a week.
Instagram @vashiuk
#THEBRAVEMAKE #THEONE #BETHEHERO #BETHEHEROINE #FEELTHELOVE #YELLHELLYES
Media information To arrange a visit to the concept store, or for more information, images, clips or interview requests please contact Connor PR:
Siobhan Connor +44 7966 177025 siobhan@connorpr.com
Hayley Hamburg + 447799 714727 hayley@connorpr.com
Editor’s Notes
About VASHI
Vashi is a leading diamond jewellery multi channel retailer. Based in London but selling worldwide as Vashi.com, the business has grown rapidly over the past 10 years by focussing on on-line customisation of jewellery with diamonds of exceptional brilliance but at accessible pricing. In 2017, Vashi has intensified its special fully-immersive approach to personalisation, opening a ground-breaking concept store at 46 Piccadilly in London, where customers get directly involved hands-on in creating their jewellery, from selecting their own diamond all the way through to setting the gem with the help of the resident Alchemists. Vashi also operates a popup store at 13 Grafton St, just off London’s Bond St.
1 About The Guardian Angels
The ultimate wingmen and wingwomen for the purchase experience. Vashi Guardian Angels are there to offer a guiding light to the customer, The Hero, taking them through the choices, akin to a personal shopper.
2 About The Alchemist
The Alchemist is the ultra-skilled magician behind the craft that is personalised jewellery – their excellence of craft can bring any idea to life, creating the ultimate expression of love.
3 About The Brave Make
The overarching marketing creative for VASHI focusses on a robust new brand identity: “The Brave Make” and “The One”. Each of these battle cries targets the notion that a gift into which you have invested real personal effort and thought will always trump a comparable gift bought off the shelf, whatever the price.
Connor PR expert in Luxury PR, Connor PR working with VASHI, Connor PR expert in lifestyle PR
ITS OFFICIAL, BRIGHTON IS THE HAPPIEST CITY IN THE UK
ITS OFFICIAL, BRIGHTON IS THE HAPPIEST CITY IN THE UK
- Study reveals Oxford is the most satisfied city
- Edinburgh ranks bottom for happiest and satisfied, favouring the words anxious and depressed
- 33 is the a happiest age
- Survey reveals forty winks, close friends and enough time with our favourite food and entertainment seem to keep a smile on us all
Its official, Brighton is the happiest city in the UK. In a nationwide survey into the satisfaction of the nation, Brighton and Hove came out as the Happiness Capital, with over a third of the city’s populace choosing the word ‘Happy’ to describe their lives.
At the other end of the scale, just 16 per cent of Edinburgh residents described their lives as ‘Happy’, favouring the words ‘Anxious’ and ‘Depressed’.
As for the city which has the highest level of general life satisfaction, it was Oxford, which came top with a score of 6.72 out of 10, while Edinburgh came bottom once again with an average of 5.89 out of 10. When asked to rate their life satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 10 the average Brit gave themselves a middling 6.37 out of 10.
Marketing Director Kerry Collinge, for 9NINE Super Seed brand, who commissioned the study, said: “Brighton residents have found themselves topping our happiest city chart. Maybe it’s the sea air and sunny weather that keeps them smiling!”
Just 1 in 10 Brits rated their life satisfaction at 9 or above (indicating excellent life satisfaction).
The study, which quizzed 3,000 Brits, also looked into the ways we boost our mood and found 3 in 5 look to bed for comfort in hard times, while over half lean on family for support.
43 per cent of those surveyed play their favourite music when they need to raise their spirits, and reading a book proved more popular for boosting our serotonin levels than sex.
Typical British weather is most likely to get us feeling down in the dumps, with 40 per cent claiming that inclement weather has a negative effect on their emotions.
Nearly half of the women polled in the study thought time to relax was important for their well-being, while 35 per cent of men preferred sex as a way to unwind.
When it comes to having a bad day, women are twice as likely as men to be brought down by living in a messy home, with 37 per cent claiming that untidiness has a negative effect on their mood compared to 18 per cent of men.
Most Brits believe that they will be at their happiest at the age of 33, and just over a third believe that their best years are now behind them.
An optimistic fifth think that they are currently having the time of their lives.
When asked to describe how often they feel in a positive mood, 58 per cent said that they are usually happy people, and only 6 per cent said they rarely or never feel happiness. A quarter of Brits describe themselves as anxious, and only 1 in 7 consider themselves a generally confident person.
Women are more likely to describe themselves as anxious, sensitive and loving, while men prefer to describe themselves as confident, happy and proud. Worryingly, 44 per cent of those polled believe that they have experienced a panic attack at one time or another in their lives, and 3 in 5 have suffered from anxiety.
In order to make their lives better, 1 in 6 would like to improve their physical fitness and 16 per cent would like to have more certain financial security.
Marketing Director, Kerry Collinge from 9NINE, who commissioned the study, continued: “Happiness is at the heart of our brand, our study has helped to show that when it comes to the secret of happiness the simple things in life are usually best. Forty winks, close friends and enough time with our favourite food and entertainment seem to keep a smile on the faces of most.”
THE HAPPIEST CITIES IN THE UK:
- Brighton and Hove
- Leicester
- Portsmouth
- Newcastle
- Oxford
- Chelmsford
- Norwich
- Bristol
- London
- Cambridge
- Manchester
- Belfast
- Coventry
- Cardiff
- Birmingham
- York
- Plymouth
- Sheffield
- Leeds
- Glasgow
- Southampton
- Liverpool
- Edinburgh
BEST UK CITIES FOR LIFE SATISFACTION:
- Oxford
- Bristol
- Brighton and Hove
- Chelmsford
- Leeds
- Leicester
- Newcastle
- Southampton
- Manchester
- Portsmouth
- London
- Norwich
- Glasgow
- Cardiff
- Belfast
- Liverpool
- Coventry
- York
- Sheffield
- Plymouth
- Cambridge
- Birmingham
- Edinburgh
TOP TEN WAYS TO LIFT SPIRITS
- A good night’s rest 59.57%
- Spending time with family 53.40%
- Spending time with friends 46.97%
- Having downtime to relax 44.40%
- Listening to music 43.27%
- Regular exercise 39.87%
- Watch TV/A film 35.80%
- Reading a book 34.80%
- Doing your hobby 32.33%
- Eating your favourite meal 29.53%
TOP TEN THINGS TO PUT YOU IN A BAD MOOD
- Poor weather 40.10%
- Having no time to yourself 35.53%
- Sitting in traffic 32.27%
- A heavy workload 29.90%
- Coming home to a messy home 27.70%
- Checking the news 19.93%
- Checking your bank statement 19.07%
- Using public transport 13.33%
- A bad hair day 12.70%
- A bad outfit day 8.47%
We all experience cloud 9NINE feelings and being healthy has a lot do with it! All 9NINE products have natural benefits derived from the Super Seeds in each bar, and opting for the healthier choice no longer means sacrificing on taste. Choosing the right foods that make you feel good and enable you to stretch your adventure boundaries are part of what 9NINE stands for.
9NINE has spent a lot of time looking at the benefits of seeds, what they offer and how they can improve moods; for example, research shows that magnesium improves mindfulness which could in turn lead to an elevated mood. Key ingredients in 9NINE products include:
Magnesium – restores mindfulness with good energy
Fibre – boosts your body with good digestion
Copper – activates your immune system
Phosphorous – looks after your mental energy
Vitamin E – gets your skin glowing
Thiamin – gets the best energy out of your food
Potassium – gives your heart the love it deserves
Manganese – maintains strength through healthy bones
Calcium – keeps the balance with happy hormones
Zinc – gives a natural immune boost
Protein – an essential building block for a balanced life
Iron – keeps oxygen moving around the body
– ENDS –
Join in the conversation:
@9NINEBrand
https://www.facebook.com/9NINEBrand/
www. http://9ninebrand.com
Notes to editors:
For more further information and media interviews please
contact: Siobhan Connor at Connor PR on 07966 177025 or email:
siobhan@connorpr.com
About 9NINE
9NINE products are handmade in a craft bakery in the beautiful Vale of Llangollen in North Wales. Their unique blend of Super Seeds are a favourite for people leading healthy lifestyles and they have just unveiled some brand-new packaging, and several exciting new products including:
Super Seed Fusions which have been created for sprinkling and sharing and come in three fabulous street food flavours – Spanish Patatas Bravas, Argentinian Chimichurri and Indian Mango Kuchela.
Seed Bombes which come in packs of three pop-in-your-mouth-on-the-go convenient little bundles of Super Seeds mixed with double cocoa. They aim to drive value into the indulgent treats and confectionery category, and flavours include Coconut, Raspberry and Vanilla.
Since launching over 10 years ago, 9NINE Super Seed bars have rapidly grown to become the most widely distributed mixed seed bar in the UK. The 16-variety strong range is currently stocked at major retailers including Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, ASDA, Morrisons, W.H Smith, E.H Booths, McColls and Holland & Barrett, as well as independent retailers nationwide. 9Brand Foods will be rolling out to a number of high street convenience retail chains throughout spring/summer 2017. 9Brand Foods is a subsidiary of Wholebake Ltd. Visit: http://9bar.com
Connor PR working with 9NINE Super seed bar, Connor PR expert in news generation, Connor PR expert in survey news generation, Connor PR expert in FMCG PR
SUPER SEED BRAND 9NINE CREATES AN ADULT PLAYGROUND IN LONDON
PLAY ON
When was the last time you really played?
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Play matters, whatever your age, so why don’t we do more of it as adults?
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Super Seed brand 9NINE is creating The Playground – a playground for adults – in London Fields from 29–30 July 2017
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One-hour slots allow people to play on giant swings, see-saws and other playground favourites
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The free event will raise awareness of how play evokes happiness and well-being
All work and no play makes for a dull, grey, drag of a day. Super Seed brand 9Nine understands that healthy eating is just one part of a happy well-rounded day, so in addition to their 9NINE bars, Seed Fusions and Seed Bombes, they decided to throw a playground for adults into the mix!
The Playground will be set up in London Fields on 29 and 30 July.
The concept of Play is nothing new – it has helped to form the society we live in today and provides anticipation, pleasure, imagination, social interaction, surprise, fun, liberty and laughter, and that’s just for starters. Playing is good for our mental health as well as our physical well-being, but we seem to stop buying into it once we reach adulthood.
We need to step back from the screens, get up from the chairs and remember why we loved that fun, silly, creative Play so much as a child. 9NINE Marketing Director, Kerry Collinge, says “Happiness is at the heart of our brand and while we feel we have nailed the nutritional side of things, we wanted to do something that gave physical presence to a topic that we believe needs more column inches. Play is in our DNA – we’re simply bringing the right tools to the table!”
On 29–30 July, 9Nine is taking over London Fields for their adult-only Playground experience. “We’re talking giant slides, jumbo swings and super-sized see-saws” says Collinge. In addition to the Playground itself, there will be DJs, refreshments and 9NINE snacks. She continues, “In a world where our actions are usually dictated by what we have to do, we wanted to provide a place where people could come and let go and feel happy and free without any stress or rules”. We never lose the capacity to Play, we shouldn’t let age be a barrier.
Once described as ‘The most interesting and innovative experimental psychologist in the world today’, Professor of Psychology, Richard Wiseman at the University of Hertfordshire says, “This is a great opportunity for adults to find their inner child! Research shows that being playful makes us happier, more open-minded, gets the creative juices flowing, helps us bond together and can even help those suffering from depression. Humans are hardwired to play, and this doesn’t stop in childhood. It’s great to see 9NINE championing lifelong playfulness; every adult could benefit from an afternoon in a giant playground!”
While the event is free, it will generate donations that will be given to Play England and Hackney Play, and invested into Hackney play initiatives.
9NINE
We all experience cloud 9NINE feelings and being healthy has a lot do with it! All 9NINE products have natural benefits derived from the Super Seeds in each bar, and opting for the healthier choice no longer means sacrificing on taste. Choosing the right foods that make you feel good and enable you to stretch your adventure boundaries are part of what 9NINE stands for.
9NINE has spent a lot of time looking at the benefits of seeds, what they offer and how they can improve moods; for example, research shows that magnesium improves mindfulness which could in turn lead to an elevated mood. Key ingredients in 9NINE products include:
Magnesium – restores mindfulness with good energy
Fibre – boosts your body with good digestion
Copper – activates your immune system
Phosphorous – looks after your mental energy
Vitamin E – gets your skin glowing
Thiamin – gets the best energy out of your food
Potassium – gives your heart the love it deserves
Manganese – maintains strength through healthy bones
Calcium – keeps the balance with happy hormones
Zinc – gives a natural immune boost
Protein – an essential building block for a balanced life
Iron – keeps oxygen moving around the body
“Being outdoors, active, socialising, having fun and playing… what’s not to love about the idea of an adult playground. Working with 9NINE, I know how they always put well-being at the forefront of their product development and I just love the idea of doing something out in the community that mirrors the way they think. It’s going to be a great event – see you there!”
9NINE Brand Ambassador, Professor Greg Whyte OBE
The 9NINE Playground *Age restriction for main playground entry (18+)
London Fields (West Side, London E8 3EU – opposite the entrance to the lido)
Friday: Press and VIP Day 4pm – 7pm Please email siobhan@connorpr.com if you wish to attend this
Saturday: 11am – 10pm
Sunday: 11am – 9pm
For more information visit: www. http://9ninebrand.com
You’re Never Too Old for a Playground
– ENDS –
Join in the conversation:
@9NINEBrand
#PlayOn #9NINE #9NINEFeeling
https://www.facebook.com/9NINEBrand/
Notes to editors:
For more information, media interviews and high res images please
contact: Siobhan Connor at Connor PR on 07966 177025 or email:
siobhan@connorpr.com
About 9NINE
9NINE products are handmade in a craft bakery in the beautiful Vale of Llangollen in North Wales. Their unique blend of Super Seeds are a favourite for people leading healthy lifestyles and they have just unveiled some brand-new packaging, and several exciting new products including:
Super Seed Fusions which have been created for sprinkling and sharing and come in three fabulous street food flavours – Spanish Patatas Bravas, Argentinian Chimichurri and Indian Mango Kuchela.
Seed Bombes which come in packs of three pop-in-your-mouth-on-the-go convenient little bundles of Super Seeds mixed with double cocoa. They aim to drive value into the indulgent treats and confectionery category, and flavours include Coconut, Raspberry and Vanilla.
Since launching over 10 years ago, 9NINE Super Seed bars have rapidly grown to become the most widely distributed mixed seed bar in the UK. The 16-variety strong range is currently stocked at major retailers including Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, ASDA, Morrisons, W.H Smith, E.H Booths, McColls and Holland & Barrett, as well as independent retailers nationwide. 9Brand Foods will be rolling out to a number of high street convenience retail chains throughout spring/summer 2017. 9Brand Foods is a subsidiary of Wholebake Ltd. Visit: http://9bar.com
Play England
Play England’s vision is for England to be a country where everybody can fully enjoy their right to play throughout their childhood and teenage years, as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 31 and the Charter for Children’s Play.
To achieve this vision, we aim to ensure that:
All children and young people have the freedom — time, space, permission and opportunity — to play throughout their childhood and teenage years. All residential neighbourhoods are child-friendly places where children and young people can regularly play outside; and everyone is aware of the importance of play — outdoors and indoors — as part of children and young people’s daily lives.
Hackney Play Association
Hackney Play Association is a local charity that aims to improve children and young people’s health, well-being and quality of life, through play.
Our vision is for Hackney to be a child-friendly borough, in which all children and young people have access to a range of high quality, inclusive play opportunities in their locality.
We believe that play is vital for children and young people’s health and wellbeing, particularly for children facing barriers due to poverty, disability, gender and race.
Connor PR working with Super Seed Brand 9NINE, Connor PR and adult playground in London, play
Whicker’s World Foundation launches new grant for New York-based Chicken & Egg Pictures
Whicker’s World Foundation launches new grant for New York-based Chicken & Egg Pictures
- Whicker’s World Foundation is expanding its reach to help ensure that more women enter the profession.
- Chicken & Egg Pictures supports women non-fiction filmmakers whose artful and innovative storytelling catalyses social change.
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Submissions for existing Whicker’s World Foundation Awards 2017 are being accepted.
Whicker’s World Foundation launches a new bursary for New York-based Chicken & Egg Pictures, to help fulfil their mission to increase the number of women documentary makers introduced into the industry pipeline.
Whicker’s World Foundation—set up to fund a new generation of documentary makers—is expanding its reach to help ensure that more women enter the profession. The Foundation, which awards one of the biggest cash prizes in documentary production (£80,000 to an individual) has created an additional annual £10,000 grant for Chicken & Egg Pictures’ Accelerator Lab program.
Accelerator Lab, open to applicants from around the world, provides first- and second-time women filmmakers with a $35,000 grant, a year-long creative support program with participation in three one-week labs (all expenses covered), mentorship catered to each individual and her project, and opportunities for networking with industry professionals and the filmmaker community. As Jenni Wolfson, Executive Director of Chicken & Egg Pictures, said about the program, “We don’t simply support films, we foster careers. This holistic approach is the key to successfully supporting women filmmakers.”
The New York-based organisation’s strategy uniquely aligns with Whicker’s World’s continued efforts to broaden the world of documentary. Announcing the new annual award, Alan Whicker’s lifelong partner and founder of the Foundation Valerie Kleeman said: “Alan wanted his legacy to help documentary makers the world over. He was ahead of time in his enthusiasm and support for the female perspective in his own filmmaking. At the Whicker’s World Foundation, we want to be sure that there is equal opportunity for men and women in documentary and I have been impressed by the fact that Chicken & Egg Pictures give to women when they most need it. I feel sure that funding at an early stage will make a huge difference to women in this industry.”
The Foundation is kicking off its support with a grant towards Assia Boundaoui’s participation in the Accelerator Lab program for The Feeling of Being Watched, an exploration of the FBI’s pre-9/11 counterterrorism activities in the filmmaker’s Arab-American neighbourhood outside of Chicago.
“We are so excited about this highly topical project and hope our support will help ‘accelerate’ Assia’s film towards receiving more funding and making the most powerful film she can. Last year, only one in five of our finalists for our main funding award was a woman. We hope the Whicker’s World grant to the Accelerator Lab will widen the base of would-be applicants,” said Jane Ray, Artistic Director of Whicker’s World Foundation.
Not the first time the two organisations crossed paths in the world of documentary, the Foundation previously made an ad-hoc payment of £5,000 to another Chicken & Egg Pictures grantee, Hana Mire, who is developing Rajada Dalka (Nation’s Hope), the working title of a film about Somalia’s women’s national basketball team.
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Notes to Editors:
For press enquiries about Whicker’s World Foundation please contact:
Siobhan Connor
CONNOR PR
+44 (0)7966 177025
siobhan@connorpr.com
www.connorpr.com
twitter: connorpr
About Whicker’s World Foundation
Whicker’s World Foundation was set up in 2015 and gives one of documentary’s biggest cash prizes (£80,000) to an authored documentary-maker every year and £15,000 to the runner up. Entries for the main WWF Funding award close on February 14th 2017.
Applications for the Radio & Audio Funding Award close 28th February 2017
Applications for the 2017 Audio Recognition Award close 14th February 2017
Applications for the 2017 Sage Awards close 14th February 2017
For further information visit www.whickersworldfoundation.com
Join the conversation: facebook.com/whickersworldfoundation
https://twitter.com/whickersworld @whickersworld
Chicken & Egg Pictures
Chicken & Egg Pictures supports women non-fiction filmmakers whose artful and innovative storytelling catalyzes social change.
For more information, visit chickeneggpics.org or contact Cindy Choung, External Relations Manager, Chicken & Egg Pictures, at cindy@chickeneggpics.org
http://www.feelingofbeingwatched.com/home/#the-film
film, documentary, TV, Whicker’s World Foundation, Connor PR, specialist in film PR, Specialist in TV publicity
Nadiya Hussain is supporting ‘Be School Ready’, PTA UK’s national campaign to help families with children starting school in September
Exclusive interview with The Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain
Nadiya Hussain is supporting ‘Be School Ready’, PTA UK’s national campaign to help families with children starting school in September. The Be School Ready magazines, produced by PTA UK, which is also celebrating its 60th year, have been distributed providing both practical and emotional support for parents, carers and children so they can start school life with confidence.
http://www.pta.org.uk/BeSchoolReady
Get your kids making their healthy after school snacks as well as eating them! Nadiya’s Bake Me a Story is a book of recipes and stories devised and written by Nadiya herself. Cook up a batch of Carrot and Nutmeg Cookies on a Sunday afternoon and share the story of Rapunzel’s Enchanted Carrots while the cookies bake or read about Ruby-Red and the Three Bears and their Very Berry Muffins while you wait for your own to rise! Nadiya’s Bake Me a Story publishes 8th September 2016 in hardback, priced £14.99
As a mother of three very lively children it is safe to say that I have had my fair share of ‘mum I’m starving’ ‘how long before dinner?’, I’m so hungry’, ‘please can I have a crisp?’, ‘if I can’t have crisp, can I have a small biscuit?’. Whether you have one child, three like me or more, I know it’s the worst feeling trying to decide whether your child should have a snack or should I just let them have whatever they want. If not to just keep them quiet before dinner but ease your own guilt.
I spent years wondering what the right thing was to do during that very intense time between school pick up and dinner time. I will not lie, there have been times where I have just given the kids the easiest option, a packet of crisps, a small bar of chocolate, a biscuit (or two). But I noticed that the kids were like yoyos. After school the kids slumped, tired and exhausted from the day. They walk through the door and as I rush around they have a quick sweet treat and they are then the polar opposite, high as kites, excitable before the inevitable sugar crash to follow.
A few years ago I decided that I needed to overhaul my eating habits along with the kids. I just couldn’t do the constant peak and trough that come with lots of sugar all day long. Better eating habits didn’t mean taking everything away, it just meant eating sugar in moderation and incorporating more fruit and vegetables where possible. I thought it would be a difficult change to make when in fact the transition was the opposite of our sugar crashes and slumps. The transition was smooth.
One of the first things I knew I had to tackle was the time between school pick up and dinner. Upon picking the children up my first question is always ‘how was your day?’ and all three kids always respond with ‘Great, what’s for dinner?’ One of my first tips is that I always take a bottle of water (not chilled). I find children are weary of drinking chilled water because it’s cold and harder to drink quickly. So I take a bottle of water at room temperature and allow them to drink to their fill as soon as I see them. I never believe my children when I’ve asked them if they’ve drunk lots of water through the day. What I like to address is the fact that they may just be very thirsty.
As a fruitier alternative to plain water I like to have water bottles with wide necks and to this I add slices of oranges, kiwi and strawberries and leave it to infuse during the day and take that with me on the school run. Once they have drunk all the water they can finish the fruit inside too.
In between sorting the children, preparing for dinner, finishing emails and doing laundry, I always have a few snacks that I have pre prepared or snacks that can be quickly made. Here is a list of a few of our favourites:
- Frozen Yoghurt – small pots of yoghurt, I just pierce a lolly pop stick through the covering and stick the whole thing in the freezer. When frozen, peel off the top of the yoghurt pot and ease the frozen yoghurt out of its pot.
- Frozen Blueberry Yoghurt Sticks – take a wooden skewer and pierce it with about 10 blueberries. Dip the whole stick into yoghurt and place the sticks on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen take them off the sheet and place inside a freezer bag and store in the freezer.
- Apple and Peanut Rings – core and horizontally slice a green apple, spread the tops with smooth peanut butter and eat straight away.
- Houmous Celery Sticks – cut slices of celery sticks about 2 inches long. Fill the inside with houmous and serve.
- Summer Fruit Spring Rolls – take a circle of rice paper and soak for a few seconds till soft. Squeeze off any excess water and place down. Add any fruit, the more colourful the better and wrap like a spring roll.
- Boiled eggs – I like to keep boiled eggs in the fridge during the week. They are quick simple and nutritious and very easy to eat.
- Turkey Ham wrapped Cheese sticks – take a small stick of cheese and wrap around a slice of turkey ham.
- Mini omelettes – whisk up some eggs and add onion, cheese, chives and chopped peppers. Pour the mix into a 12 muffin cupcake tin and bake in the oven. Once cooled these can be stored for a week.
- Steamed edamame beans – these are great placed in a bowl, splashed with a little water and the covered in cling. Cooked in a microwave for 3 minutes and then sprinkled with salt and paprika.
- Plain popcorn – plain popcorn, quickly popped and a large handful is just enough.
In terms of drinks on a warm day I love to make the kids a quick cold smoothie after school and a nice warm drink on the colder school days.
Cold Drink – in a smoothie maker I like to add ice, mint, 1 green apple, the juice of a lime, half water and half apple juice and whizz.
Hot Drink – in a pan add coconut milk and heat up, to this I like to add unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract and honey, boil and serve.
These are all great ways to give the kids a little something to eat to take the edge off the hunger before dinner. But also a great way of getting some of their 5 a day in too.
This is just enough food to keep them sustained long enough to get on to help cook dinner in the kitchen with me, which is their favourite thing to do after school.
Izzy Wizzy Let’s Get Baking Busy…Sooty, Sweep and Michelle Heaton battle it out in the kitchen for Sport Relief 2016
Izzy Wizzy Let’s Get Baking Busy…
Sooty, Sweep and Michelle Heaton battle it out in the kitchen for Sport Relief 2016
Sooty, Sweep and Michelle Heaton battle it out in the kitchen for Sport Relief 2016
- The pie’s the limit for Michelle Heaton, but will Sooty’s cakes rise like a well-behaved soufflé or fall at the final curdle?
- Limited edition Orla Kiely apron for Sport Relief – perfect for those wanting to get messy in the kitchen
Roll up, Roll up, CITV’s Sooty and Sweep have collaborated with TV personality Michelle Heaton in the kitchen for a fun-packed photo shoot to raise some dough for Sport Relief.
The nation’s favourite bear has been ‘Izzy Wizzy’ baking cakes for a Sport Relief Bake Sale in a bid to inspire the nation to get their baking trays out and raise some money for Sport Relief. Meanwhile, Sweep has slipped on his boxing gloves to show his knockout support for Sport Relief.
Sooty and Sweep’s new look is thanks to designer Orla Kiely, who has created a limited edition apron for Sport Relief. The apron is presented each episode to the winner of ‘The Great Sport Relief Bake Off’ and is available to buy exclusively from Sport Relief official partners: brands-for-less homewareretailer, HomeSense, TK Maxx stores, tkmaxx.com and sportrelief.com. The apron retails at £12.99 with at least £5.25 going to Sport Relief.
Sooty, Sweep and Michelle Heaton battle it out in the kitchen for Sport Relief 2016
The nation has been inspired to join in the Sport Relief fun and games and host their own bake sales to raise money to help transform people’s lives both across the UK and in the world’s poorest communities. So if you’re a fan, the apron is the perfect way to ‘rise to the occasion’, supporting a great cause whilst baking yourself proud in the kitchen.
Sooty’s right hand man, Richard Cadell told us Sooty had whispered in his ear that holding a bake sale is a piece of cake and he and Sweep had loads of fun with their new friend Michelle, even if she was a little bit messy in the kitchen!
Michelle Heaton said: “I urge everyone to put on a pinny, get baking and throw a showstopping bake sale for Sport Relief. Baking with Sooty & Sweep was the icing on the cake for me! By purchasing this apron from HomeSense and TK Maxx you can help to transform people’s lives both across the UK and in the world’s poorest communities.”
Since 2002, Sport Relief has raised over £262 million. The Sport Relief Games will take place between Friday 18th and Sunday 20th March, bringing the entire nation together to get active, raise cash and change lives.
The money raised from the apron will go towards helping people living incredibly tough lives. Half of the money raised by the public for Sport Relief is used to make a difference right here at home in the UK, with the other half used to make a difference in the world’s poorest communities.
Don’t miss out on your very own limited edition Orla Kiely apron from HomeSense, TK Maxx stores, tkmaxx.com, sportrelief.com and help raise money for Sport Relief 2016
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Media Information
Individual images are available on request
For further press information and interview requests please contact:
Siobhan Connor at Connor PR / 07966 177025 / Siobhan@connorpr.com
Join the conversation
Facebook – @myHomeSense
Twitter – @HomeSenseUK
Instagram – @HomeSenseUK
#raisesomedough
#SR16
#GBBOsportrelief
@sportrelief
@Sootyandco
Details and Prices:
All profits from the sale of the apron and the tea towels will be donated to Sport Relief to help transform the lives of some of the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the UK and around the world.
Apron £12.99 with at least £5.25 going to Sport Relief
ABOUT SPORT RELIEF
Sport Relief brings the entire nation together to get active, raise cash and change lives. Since 2002, Sport Relief has raised over £262 million. The money raised by the public is spent by Comic Relief to help people living incredibly tough lives, across the UK and the world’s poorest communities. It all leads up to the Sport Relief weekend and an unmissable night of TV on the BBC, broadcasting live from Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Sport Relief 2016 will take place from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th March 2016. You can run, swim, cycle or even walk yourself proud at events across the country. There’s a distance for everyone in the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games, whether you’re sporty or not. Find out more at www.sportrelief.com.
Comic Relief is a UK charity, which aims to create a just world, free from poverty.
Since 1985, Comic Relief has raised over £1billion. That money has helped, and is helping, people living incredibly tough lives, both at home in the UK and across the world.
For information about Comic Relief and the work it carries out, please visit www.comicrelief.com
Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland)
About HomeSense
HomeSense launched in the UK in April 2008 and has 39 stores in the UK. HomeSense operates a unique ‘off-price’ concept, which offers quality and branded homeware for less than the recommended retail price. These savings are passed on to customers through a combination of opportunistic buying, established relationships with manufacturers and simple, no-frills operation. HomeSense is part of TJX Europe, a subsidiary of TJX Companies, Inc. Find your nearest store and loads more information at www.homesense.com
About TK Maxx
TK Maxx and HomeSense are the official Sport Relief sponsors for the fifth campaign running and have raised £17.7 million since 2005 through sales, customer donations and staff fundraising. TK Maxx is a designer brands-for-less retailer implementing a unique ‘off-price’ concept which originated in the US. It sells designer and high street brands of womenswear, menswear, homeware, gifts and accessories at up to 60% less than the recommended retail price (RRP). TK Maxx launched in the UK in 1994 and now has over 250 stores nationwide. Opportunistic buying and a no-frills operation means TK Maxx can pass huge savings on to the customer. A typical store has over 50,000 items in stock and receives 10,000 new pieces, styles and colours a week, which means stock is consistently fresh. TK Maxx is part of TJX Europe, the European subsidiary of the US group TJX Companies Inc. For more information see www.tkmaxx.com
Orla Kiely
The creative world of Orla Kiely was founded in 1995 to express visually, her love of pattern, colour, texture and rhythm, which as components all play and work together. Once hailed as the ‘queen of print,’ she is world renowned for her instinctive graphic discipline to simplify and stylise everyday motifs and forms. With clean, orderly repeat constructions and a boldness of scale, her work achieves strength with a very modern quality, while her love for all things mid century creates charming, uplifting and instantly recognisable prints.
From a small collection of accessories, commissioned exclusively by Harrods following her graduation from the Royal Academy of Art, the range has grown to include a complete ready-to-wear collection as well as homeware and stationery. Through key collaborations, Orla Kiely has launched a perfume, designed sold out shoe collections for Clarks – an ongoing partnership as well as publishing two books – ‘Pattern’ & ‘Home’ which celebrating both her prints and her love for interior design.
Globally, the brand is gaining momentum with key stockists in both fashion and home. Orla Kiely has a number of shops through the UK and has grown significantly with global reach in New York following the launch of her collaborations with Uniqlo and Target.
The Orla Kiely customer is creative, intelligent and stylish. She is not afraid to stand out and does it fashionably. The combination of luxurious fabric and attention to detail leads to a loyal following including Kate Middleton, Kirsten Dunst , Keira Knightley, Alexa Chung and Emma Watson.
She continues to work with fashion contemporaries, Leith Clark, Liz Goldwin and Venetia Scott.
Orla Kiely regularly presents at London Fashion Week and continues to surprise and impress, her presentations reaching cult status amongst fans and press alike.
The Sooty Show
The Sooty Show is the longest running children’s TV show in the world. The iconic yellow bear made his TV debut on the BBC in the 1950s and is currently enjoying a revival in the UK, with The Sooty Show airing daily on CITV and on ITV at weekends. Sooty, Sweep and Soo, with their current owner and presenter Richard Cadell, perform to sell-out audiences in their live tours and Sooty the Movie is set to go into production this year. www.thesootyshow.com
Sports Personalities Bake Up Some Fun for Sport Relief 2016
On Your Marks, Get Set… BAKE!
SPORTS PERSONALITIES BAKE UP SOME FUN FOR SPORT RELIEF 2016
Seven of Britain’s favourite sport stars have joined together to swap their boxing gloves for oven gloves and tennis rackets for sieves in a fun-packed photo shoot for Sport Relief.
Two-time World Champion boxer Amir Khan; tennis coach and current captain of the British Fed Cup team Judy Murray; former England rugby union player Ben Cohen MBE; TV presenter Suzi Perry; former Olympic skier and TV presenter Graham Bell; Channel 4 Racing presenter Emma Spencer; and Olympic Badminton Silver Medallist and ITV Eternal Glory Winner Gail Emms MBE
For those wanting to ‘sport’ a new look in the kitchen, designer Orla Kiely has created a limited edition apron for Sport Relief. The apron is presented each night to the winner of ‘The Great Sport Relief Bake Off’ and is available to buy exclusively from Sport Relief official partners: brands-for-less homeware retailer, HomeSense, TK Maxx stores, tkmaxx.com and sportrelief.com. The apron retails at £12.99 with at least £5.25 going to Sport Relief.
Those championing the campaign are (pictured left to right): two-time World Champion boxer, Amir Khan who recently announced he will fight Mexico’s Saul Alvarez for the WBC world middleweight title on 7 May in Las Vegas; tennis coach and current captain of the British Fed Cup team, Judy Murray; former England rugby union player, Ben Cohen MBE; TV presenter, Suzi Perry; former Olympic skier and TV presenter, Graham Bell; Channel 4 Racing presenter, Emma Spencer; and Olympic Badminton Silver Medallist and ITV Eternal Glory Winner, Gail Emms MBE.
Since 2002, Sport Relief has raised over £262million. Sport Relief 2016 will take place between Friday 18th and Sunday 20th March, bringing the entire nation together to get active, raise cash and change lives. The money raised from the apron will go towards helping people living incredibly tough lives. Half of the money raised by the public for Sport Relief is used to make a difference right here at home in the UK, with the other half used to make a difference in the world’s poorest communities.
TV presenter, Suzi Perry said: “I’m proudly wearing my fabulous Orla Kiely Great British Sport Relief Bake Off apron from HomeSense and TK Maxx. By purchasing this apron you can help to transform people’s lives both across the UK and in the world’s poorest communities – so join in and bake yourself proud for Sport Relief.”
There’s no doubt that baking has captured the imagination of the nation. And the apron is the perfect way to ‘rise to the occasion’, supporting a great cause whilst baking yourself proud in the kitchen.
Judy Murray added: “Please shop till you drop and purchase this fabulous Sport Relief apron from HomeSense & TK Maxx stores. Designed by Orla Kiely, the aprons will raise cash that will help people living incredibly tough lives, here at home in the UK and across the world’s poorest communities. Together let’s make this the best Sport Relief yet.”
Don’t miss out on your very own limited edition Orla Kiely apron from HomeSense, TK Maxx stores, tkmaxx.com, sportrelief.com and help raise money for Sport Relief 2016
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Media Information
Individual images are available on request
For further press information and interview requests please contact:
Siobhan Connor at Connor PR / 07966 177025 / Siobhan@connorpr.com
Join the conversation
Facebook – @myHomeSense
Twitter – @HomeSenseUK
Instagram – @HomeSenseUK
#raisesomedough
#SR16
#GBBOsportrelief
@sportrelief
@ConnorPR
Connor PR and Sport Relief 2016
Connor PR’s latest TV project 41 Dogs In My Three Bed Semi – Friday 9th October 2015, 8pm, Channel 5
41 Dogs In My Three Bed Semi
Friday 9th October 2015, 8pm, Channel 5
- Dog-mad Lynn Everett loves her pet dogs so much she shares her semi-detached home with 41 of them
- Meet animal owner of 60, Steve Lucock, who claims his appearance on Britain’s Got Talent contributed to a failed marriage and left him with a home full of animals
- Dog enthusiast Emmie Stevens, 27, is so devoted to her pets that she has spent £60,000 on pampering them – with two hounds even getting hitched
Lynn Everett
There are estimated to be 71 million pets in Britain today, and 45% of households now own at least one. However, for some, one is nowhere near enough. In this remarkable film, a Middlechild production – we reveal Britain’s most staggering animal obsessives and witness what happens when animal obsessions get out of hand; the animosity, the relationship breakdowns, the risk of losing everything, and the tales of people who love animals so much they collect dozens of them in their homes.
In this one-hour documentary screened on October 9th at 8.00pm on Channel 5, we meet 57-year-old dog-mad Lynn Morgan from Barnsley, a dog obsessive. Many people have one of their favourite breeds of dogs as a pet, Lynn has one in every colour! At last count, Lynn had 41 dogs, all living inside her modest semi-detached home. Lynn lives with 25 French Bulldogs, six Chinese Crested dogs and 10 Miniature English Bull Terriers.
41 Dogs in a 3 bed Semi
We follow Britain’s Got Talent performer Steve Lucock and his 60 animals as he battles to put food in the mouths of his beloved wild family, whilst attempting to feed his own obsession; and dog-lover Emmie Stevens from Croydon who has a paw print tattooed on her wedding finger.
Lynn Everett and husband, Tony Morgan, live amongst their 41 dogs in her three-bedroomed semi on a very normal-looking street in Barnsley. The dogs are free to roam the downstairs of the house and share the sofas with Lynn and Tony. 41 is the maximum number the council will allow her to keep but if she could, she’d have many more. It’s a stressful existence living amongst 41 dogs and Lynn and Tony have a very fiery relationship, especially when it comes to matters concerning the dogs.
41 Dogs in a 3 bed Semi
In this film, we learn all about their lifestyle and witness the effect it has on their relationship. We meet Lynn’s disabled dogs and she explains how she gives every dog a chance, no matter how much it costs her. We reveal that Lynn breeds some of her more prized pooches and that this helps fund the upkeep of her extra-large family.
Lynn leaves the house just once a year, to go on a scouting mission to Crufts. Lynn began by breeding Bull Terriers but soon found that she couldn’t bear to part with them once born. She has sold some of her more prized puppies in the past but even though she has been breeding dogs since she was 18, she admits it’s becoming nearly impossible to let any new ones go. And now, as long as she sticks within the 41 she’s allowed, instead of selling, she’s buying too! Lynn has five chest freezers and spends £280 on tripe each month to feed her pets. She also buys copious amounts of fabric softener for the dogs’ blankets and there are beds set up for them in the front room.
Not many people could cope with the set-up the couple have in the house but Lynn’s personality seems to suit it perfectly. The worst consequence of their lifestyle choice is the abuse they attract from outsiders who don’t believe the dogs can be healthy or happy in such an environment. This has resulted in substantial trolling over the Internet, on dog-based forums and social media. The pinnacle of the abuse came during Christmas 2014, when a brick was thrown through their window.
Meanwhile in Blyth, Northumberland, animal addict 47-year-old Steve Lucock was at the peak of his career as a magician in the mid-2000s, performing around the country with his wife as his on stage assistant. As Steve is so obsessed with animals, he based their entire show around them. When their act featured on the TV show Britain’s Got Talent, the exposure resulted in 100 animals in need of a home being dropped on their doorstep, in addition to the 60 they already had! Steve’s reluctance to part with the new animals put a strain on his marriage, eventually leading to divorce and plunging Steve in financial disarray.
Not every animal act on Britain’s Got Talent goes the same way as Pudsey or Matisse it seems. Now, unemployed and without a performing partner, Steve has been forced to reduce the number of animals he lives with back to a more modest level of 60. Steve’s living room is home to a parrot and around the rest of the house you’ll find dogs, cats, meerkats, owls, raccoons, skunks, snakes, turtles, rats, doves, rabbits and Steve’s showpiece… his foxes.
The foxes are house-trained and his red fox, identical to the ones who roam the streets at night, is as tame as a ‘well-trained dog’. He often takes his fox when he entertains at children’s parties, much to the amazement of the attendees, who cannot believe how domesticated it is. Steve’s animal obsession has had serious financial repercussions. He only manages to feed his animals through donations given to him after shows he puts on for free locally. However, he is determined to continue growing his collection and is always on the lookout for new additions. In this film, we follow Steve as he tries to turn his fortunes around. We witness a rather tragic performance at a holiday camp and see evidence of Steve’s problems with money. However, he’s come up with a new idea for a show that he hopes will be a big hit on the kids’ party scene. Called Animalgique, it tells the story of the animals’ struggle against man and what children can do to help. Steve rehearses his show and promotes it around Blyth before the big night of his premiere arrives.
In Wiltshire, Mary Cunningham’s small house is overrun with cats. For many years she’s been taking them in and providing homes to any that are offered to her. Her whole life revolves around her feline family. Mary’s house is also brimming with clutter, she claims that this in fact just ‘stock’. Mary raises money for her cats by visiting car boot sales and fetes, selling her ‘stock’. In this film we learn that Mary faces the threat of eviction if the number of cats increases in her home, or if she can’t maintain the property. We watch as Mary attempts to secure a pitch at the biggest event of the year, The Calne Summer Festival and Carnival. If she can get a stall there, she’ll clear a lot of her ’stock’ and make enough money to do some decorating.
Emmie Stevens’ is an animal obsessive in training – her current 12 dogs are some of the most pampered pooches in the country. Emmie, 27, from Croydon, South London, is obsessed with dressing up canines and even calls them her children. Over the past seven years she has spent £60K on them. To Emmie, her dogs are her children and she feels a very maternal connection to them. As she says, “parents like dressing their children up” and that’s precisely what she does with her dogs. She has a whole room devoted to their outfits. Recently, Emmie married two of her dogs at a lavish ceremony attended by 30 of their best doggie friends. In the film we learn that Emmie’s addiction to dogs started after enduring years of confidence-destroying bullying before buying her first dog, Doodles. The love and happiness she got from him, and the compulsion to care that grew inside her, drove her to seek that ‘buzz’ over and over again. If there was more room in her house she’d have more dogs and one day Emmie fully intends on increasing her collection.
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Connor PR promoting 41 Dogs In My Three Bed Semi, Connor PR expert in TV promotion
Check out the four-page feature on Sam Gray author of Doing in in Wellies in November’s Country Homes & Interiors Magazine
Coverage like this make me love my job and my clients.Check out the four-page feature on Sam Gray author of Doing in in Wellies in November’s Country Homes & Interiors Magazine
Connor PR expert in lifestyle PR, Connor PR working with Middlefarm Press