Who are we?

RAISING ASPIRATIONS AND CELEBRATING DIVERSITY BY IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROVISION OF CREATIVE ACTIVITIES.

I Made This is a collective of media professionals, musicians and film makers who work with young people and communities across our region. We are based near Bungay in Suffolk where we have a state of the art audio video facility.

Our projects include work for Suffolk County Council, Waveney District Council, Brighter Futures, Catch 22, Jump, Learning Links and the British Library, The History of Advertising Trust, Media Box, Big Lottery Fund, Suffolk Foundation, Fisher Youth Theatre Group, Youth and Connexions and LACESS.

Our objectives are to empower and educate using music and film to allow communities to have a voice and a platform through which to express themselves. Our interests also extend to projects involving food and cooking, gardening, arts and crafts, heritage and many more.

We are interested in collaboration with any like minded group.

At the heart of the "I made this"philosophy is our belief that everyone is creative and that cultural and creative activities are fundamental to our lives. By encouraging people to participate in a culture of creation, we seek to develop our community by raising confidence and aspirations through access to the arts. Central to this vision is the concept of developing transferable skills through creative activity to help all disadvantaged groups including the unemployed, those with low skills and all those marginalised by lack of access to affordable training, with particular focus on the young.

"I made this" is a new charity. Its founders and trustees all have backgrounds in the arts and media, and have lived all their lives in the area. They have created a state of the art media facility in rural Suffolk. The facility offers a high tech recording studio and video facility. Our vision includes the creation of an internet TV and radio station through which our community will be able to learn and express themselves. From this facility "I made this" will deliver opportunity and inclusion in arts projects for everyone. Through activities like music, singing, dance, D.J.ing, rap, drama, music production, film and TV production, painting and graffiti art, we will sponsor a spirit of excellence, raise confidence, increase skill levels and provide the opportunity to work as a group. We will also look to partner with schools, the police, crime prevention bodies, the extended school network and the NHS to provide a positive platform from which to deliver education, information and a vehicle for the whole community to express itself.

The Studio...

In addition to our projects our studio, with its recording and video facilities, is available for hire. We run the latest versions of Logic Pro and Final Cut Studio. We have a large collection of instruments including a drum kit and an acoustic piano.

Outreach...

We will support local community groups who are interested in filming their projects and we also offer all our project facilities 'on location'. We have a number of video cameras and portable edit equipment which are available to community groups and charities at sub commercial rates. These facilities can be provided either ‘dry hire’ or with trained technicians. We also have a number of mobile Mac music workstations with keyboards, microphones and interfaces for use on location.

Training...

We offer video and audio training to any community group or charity either at our studio or on location.

Trustees...

We are a collective of filmmakers, music producers, artists, actors, designers and event managers who are dedicated to working with people of all abilities and ages in a variety of "I made this" projects. We see this not as a teaching role, but as facilitators who work alongside people to develop new skills, creative ideas and media formats. The ideas and inspiration for the work comes from the people themselves, with the facilitators using their expertise to introduce new skills and techniques in order to realise people's creative visions.

Paul Fitzgerald - Has worked in the media for over 30 years. He has worked for all the major broadcasters including the BBC, ITV and Discovery Channel. For 10 years he ran an independent production company making social issue films for BBC television. He also has a keen interest in music and has run a professional recording studio for over 20 years.

Jude Cowgill - Has worked in both the media and the public sector. In TV as a production manager and producer, and has run her own business. She has also worked in the caring professions both as a nurse, as an administrator for the NHS and as a residential social worker.

Rory Fitzgerald - Is a professional TV camerman. He is also a skilled recording technician who has worked for all the major broadcasters. He also works as a recording studio engineer and is a talented singer songwriter and plays guitar and drums.

Rose Eastaugh - Works as a participation worker for Suffolk County Council and has worked as a Drama Facilitator / Workshop Leader in both Kenya and Hong Kong. She has also worked as Special Education Needs Facilitator for the Spare Tyre Theatre Company and as an Assistant Teacher / Lecturer, with SEN responsibility, for the Applied Theatre Arts Company - London. She has a Degree in Drama, Applied Theatre and Education from the Central School of Speech and Drama London, UK.

Frank Pescod - Is a musician and music promoter who ran Oxford's leading independent music venue for four years. He has worked in the retail sector and the catering industry. He is a skilled studio engineer and a talented song writer.

Clare Richardson - Has a strong background in both business and the arts. She has worked in the theatre and also for a major international publisher in the field of investment and finance. She currently works for the World Land Trust. She has also worked in the third sector in the U.S. as a drug rehabilitation councellor.

Claire Taylor-Crisp - Is an experienced charity practioner who also works for The Waveney Community Forum. She brings her extensive knowledge of the third sector to the committee.

Ali Casey - Has a strong local knowledge of the charity sector and has worked for local charities as a finance officer. She is also a talented actress.

Testimonials...

"I joined two children for a LACESS educational project at the studio. I felt this project was one of the best I have personally been to with the children, I was extremely impressed with the people running the project at their studio being very interactive, enthusiastic and extremely approachable both with the children and staff alike. I thought giving the children the chance to take part in all aspects of film making ie making costumes and starring in the film brilliant. The children appeared to thoroughly enjoy taking part, although they both have quiet short attention spans they managed to take part in a majority of the activities put on for them in connection of the film being made.The children, loved having the finished product on film and it is a lovely memento of what was a great project"


Vicky Benford-Brown. Carer Childrens Home



"It's great to come away with a product, it gives the participants a sense of confidence and achievement to create a collective product. The professional venue and facilitators validate the children's experience, everyone engaged really well with the children, allowing them to complete the tasks."

"Each individual child got something individually out of the project, whether the highlight for them was exposure to the musical equipment, working with professionals, the art work, costumes, the song writing, the opportunity to get practically involved, or a chance to participate in the editing, they each got a variety of experiences in media production. The facilitators modelled positive ways of getting involved and being proactive."

"Music can be really good for children who struggle verbally, they can find a creative way to communicate that's healthy.... even if it's thrashing out their anger on the drum kit!"


Angela Weston, LACESS. Commissioner of alternative education project "Four eyes" 2009

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I MADE THIS 2009 | I Made This UK office Studio House St Margaret South Elmham Harleston Norfolk IP20 0PR -
I Made This is a registered charity no 1131233