MAXINE PEAKE BACKS APPEAL FOR A DOCUMENTARY FILM ON THE REMARKABLE BETTY TEBBS

 

MAXINE PEAKE BACKS BOLTON TRADES COUNCIL FUND RAISING APPEAL FOR A DOCUMENTARY FILM ON THE REMARKABLE BETTY TEBBS

Following the publication by Unite of a booklet on Betty Tebbs remarkable life, Bolton Trades Council are raising up to £6,000 to make a 30-minute documentary film on BETTY TEBBS – A radical working class hero.

Maxine Peake is backing the appeal – listen to what she has to say at:- https://markwritecouk.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/betty-tebbs-funding-appeal.m4a

“I’d like to appeal to the trade union and labour movement to donate up to £6,000 towards a documentary film about the life of my great friend Betty Tebbs.

Betty was a life-long socialist of 98 years who’s indomitable fighting spirit and trade union organisational abilities helped to win improvements in pay and conditions everywhere – particularly at the East Lancashire Paper Mill – that she worked across the printing and retail sector.

Following the drop of nuclear bombs in Japan in 1945 she dedicated her life to  Peace by campaigning with CND.  She was resolved to improving women’s rights through organisations such as the National Assembly for Women.

In her later years, Betty, whose first husband Ernest, joined the war effort “to fight fascism” and  laid down his life doing so, took up the cause of the Palestinian people.

It was great that four years ago Unite published a biography on Betty compiled by Mark Metcalf who is now combining with film maker Francesca Platt to make a 30-minute documentary film on her life.

Funds are needed - £1500 has already been donated – and can be sent to Bolton and District United Trades Council, Account number 59020222 Sort code 089018

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Production of the film will be undertaken by Francesca Platt, production manager of the Bolton arts project The Videobox at https://www.thevideobox.tv/contact-us/ alongside writer Mark Metcalf.

The pair recently collaborated on a well-received 30-minute documentary film BREAD NOT BAYONETS – Halifax 1842 on the uprising, part of the 1842 General Strike, in the West Yorkshire town in 1842. This can be viewed at: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0UxMadnIEAt

Funds for this work were donated by a number of trade union branches.

The work will consist of additional research, on screen interviews, site visits, sourcing music, photography, editing and production. There will be a number of costs associated with the work.

There will be a public screening of the completed works and it will be available free to labour movement organisations & community groups. The work will go online.

Copies of the Unite publication on Betty Tebbs at:- https://markwritecouk.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/6328-betty-tebbs-web.pdf  Hard copies from Mark Metcalf on 07392 852561 or metcalfmc@outlook.com

Draft resolution This branch agrees to support the appeal by Bolton Trades Council towards the costs of a documentary film on Betty Tebbs. We agree to donate……………..

Donations to:-  Bolton and District United Trades Council, Account no 59020222 Sort code 089018