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Lowton girls on song for Youth Arts
Challenge
A group of teenage girls have gone on film
to raise awareness about exclusion.
Lowton Girls’ Group tackle the issue in a new documentary titled ‘Lean
on me’. The DVD shows the efforts made by Sam Atherton, Lisa Brew, Maia
Ensor, Faye Fitzmartin, Alicia Gerrard, Georgina Hall, Chelsea Stewart
and other members of the girls’ group to build friendships with other
young people from minority groups.
The film contains interviews with the girls about their own experiences
of exclusion and footage from a Christmas party the girls organised for
young people from other minority groups, including Rafiki / Motswako
(for young people from ethnic minority backgrounds), Everybody Counts
(for young people with disabilities), Ashton Girls’ Group and Broadmeads
Disability Group.
Lowton Girls’ Group member Georgina Hall says: “Being excluded can leave
you feeling isolated and with no confidence. I was bullied and I felt
left out and lonely. We hope to show the DVD to other groups to help
other young people think about including everyone.”
Fellow member Maia Ensor adds: “It doesn’t matter about ability or the
colour of your skin. We want to have fun and people should not judge.
Our DVD shows this.”
Local filmmaker Peter Goodwin from Mirabilis Media worked with Lowton
Girls’ Group to produce the film, which includes a recording of Bill
Withers ‘Lean on Me’ sung by the girls.
The project was funded through the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust /
Manchester Airport Youth Arts Challenge scheme and supported by Wigan
Council Children and Young People’s Services (CYPS) and Positive Action
for Young People.
Lowton Girls’ Group are now planning a joint project with Wigan & Leigh
Young Carers and intend to work with young people from Rafiki / Motswako
again.
The girls meet at Lowton Youth Club every Tuesday and all young women
living in the local area are welcome to attend.
Member Faye Fitzmartin says: “Lowton Girls’ Group is a place where we
can speak freely about our feelings and we can do what we want without
the boys being in the way.”
For further information contact CYPS youth worker Deb Hall on (01942)
488056.
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Notes to Editors
Photo opportunity
• Members of the press are invited to photograph Lowton Girls’ Group at
Lowton Youth Club on a Tuesday evening.
Further information
• For further information please contact Kennedy Stewart, Wigan Youth
Information Press Officer at Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, on (01942)
486927.
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