For those of you who have been following Anti Racist Cumbria, you’ll no doubt have heard all about the incredibly exciting animated film, The Fell We Climb.
But did you know that Herdy has proudly played a part in helping bring the film to life?
We can’t wait to share this b-ewe-tifl and powerful film with you all, but until then, here’s a recap of how The Fell We Climb came to be…
The Fell We Climb is a short thought-provoking animated film that has been co-created with Plus3k Studios and Anti Racist Cumbria’s grassroots youth group: Animated Futures.
This team of inspirational young people was brought together in 2020 and the project began life as a space for young Black and Brown children to connect about what it means to grow up in Cumbria if you aren’t white. For many of these children, it was the first time they had even met another young person who looked like them.
ARC (Anti Racist Cumbria) quickly realised how passionate the kids were about an anti-racist future with their clear vision for change, and the project organically grew to become as epic as they are.
Plus3k came on board to begin to teach the children about animation as an outlet for exploring culture and identity. Following an epic crowdfunding campaign the film has been finished to industry standards and following over 50 screenings across Cumbria it is now due to hit the film festival circuit.
The Fell We Climb is based on the real-life experiences of these brilliant young people. We believe that it will inspire future generations to also become anti-racist. Later this year the film will be offered to every school in Cumbria along with age-appropriate lesson plans.
None of this would have been possible without the amazing support of crowdfunding sponsors, and this included a generous contribution from Cumbria's most famous sheep, Herdy!
ARC CEO Janett Walker caught up with Herdy co-founder, Spencer Hannah, to talk all about the project and why Herdy is one of ARC’s longest-standing supporters.
Herdy Co-Founder
Hello Spencer! Firstly, thank you so much for supporting The Fell We Climb. What attracted you to this project?
Herdy agrees wholeheartedly with the cause, but mostly, it was the story itself: the narrative. It holds up a mirror and encourages us to question our actions and inactions. Ultimately it’s about recognising things that need to change and doing something about it, being brave and doing the right thing.
You’ve seen the film a couple of times now, can you describe how you feel when you reach the end of the story?
Hopeful and proud to have supported and helped.
It’s an important thing.
Herdy is well known for its proudly Cumbrian roots. Why do you think that anti-racism is so critical both to Cumbria and to you / your team at Herdy?
Why wouldn’t it be? I’ve said this at other events and talks. For Herdy, Cumbria is an ‘incubation zone’ for clear thinking, a fresh approach and new ideas being born and nurtured. From here those ideas can get out - beyond Cumbria and into the world.
The story centres on a young Black girl finding her voice but also on white people recognising the need to be better allies - what does anti-racist allyship mean to you personally? As a business?
The ultimate hope is that projects like this become irrelevant because there should be no need for society and communities to address racism, but until then, we have to, so these kinds of projects are needed. Anti Racist Cumbria is on a journey. Herdy, as a business; has a purpose and beliefs. They include Inclusivity and Responsibility and this film is one of the ways we commit to those.
Your business is a local success story. What’s the one key piece of advice you would give to our young people…and our not so young people?
Be brave. Step up. Keep pushing through and consider your impact as you do so. Doing the right thing is more important than saying the right thing.
Anti Racist Cumbria CEO and Co-Founder
What feelings and emotions do you have now about the project and ARC - now that you have got this far?
Our charity ARC has gone from strength to strength, it feels as though all roads have led me to this and though the road ahead is long it is beginning to feel like there’s a real appetite for an anti-racist county. This project makes me proud but in a way also nervous. It started as a small grassroots project for young people to explore through animation what it means to grow up in Cumbria if you aren’t white and it's taken on a whole life of its own and going out into the world. How the world will respond is beyond my control and that’s quite a nerve-wracking thing
Do you feel and see change happening faster, better, bigger?
This wave of change feels seismic, I think in part down to social media and the speed of communication. Ideas are shared so much quicker these days.
How far out of Cumbria do you believe you can take your message? Regional, National, International?
Our focus is obviously Cumbria, this is our home and where we want to make the most impact but the lessons we’ve learned and our message is reaching beyond the county. The film is already picking up awards at international film festivals and that reach will not just be amazing for spreading the message of anti-racism but also putting Cumbrian creativity on the map.
What are your personal hopes and dreams for the future?
That’s easy, for my two children not to face the same barriers and stereotypes that I did. All this work is the start of change for the next generation and beyond.
The Fell We Climb will hopefully be available for public release towards the end of the year, once the film has done the rounds at this year’s film festivals. Herdy is immensely proud to be a part of this very special project and we can’t wait to share this incredible film with you all.
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