Decision details

Living Warriors participant screening - The grant will pay for the premiere screening of our co-created short films that tell the stories of people who came close to ending their lives, but survived. All films feature Folkestone locals. The screening will include a Q&A.

To provide funding of £436 to the above project.

Reason for decision:

Last year saw the Kent suicide rates rise for the first time in 4 years. In our town of

Folkestone, suicide and suicide attempts have also risen. When we started this project we had to turn people away. We have people wanting to do this work. The participants wanted their words to reach further than via their song and books in 2019, and we felt cinema and then website was the way to go – to have further reach.

We also researched the type of films on this topic ‘out there’. Participants felt message films often ‘othered’ the person whose story it was, or made out that life is wonderful after not taking your life. What our Warriors want people to hear – and from the horse’s mouth – is that you can overcome that moment, and it might not just go away, you have to work at it, but there are many of us ‘Living Warriors’ out in

every town, keeping going. And we need to be seen and heard.

The screening is an important moment for the team and was not in our initial budget. Hiring the main cinema in town, having a red carpet, and photographers capture the event will add to the legacy.