One World Centre Isle of Man

All the young finalists at the 2015 One World Centre Primary School Film competition awards

Move over Hollywood! The students at Sulby Primary School are making a name for themselves with a remarkable run of wins in the One World Centre’s It’s Not Fair! short film competition.

Designed to allow primary children to explore global issues and express their learning creatively in a four-minute film, the competition, kindly sponsored by Sure, attracted entries on a number of topics including fair trade and rainforest destruction

Having enjoyed previous wins with films on general issues around global fairness and inequality, this year Sulby scooped the top prize again with an entry that focussed on water.  Their success was announced at a special award screening held at Ballakermeen Studio Theatre on Monday evening in front of the other competition finalists, as well as teachers and parents.

Sulby’s film, which was described by the judges as “beautiful”, “engaging” and “thought-provoking”, followed the story of a drop of water as it travelled through time and around the earth, eventually falling into a stagnant muddy pool in Africa where it was drunk by a young girl with no access to clean fresh water.

Whilst highlighting the tragic effects of dirty water on the young and vulnerable, the film also contained humour, lots of facts and information and suggestions on how access to water and sanitation can be improved for the millions who don’t currently have it. The film was awarded Best Production as well as Best Overall Film.

Other award winners were Anagh Coar (Best Call to Action) who looked at the impact of deforestation and talked about their decision to adopt a rainforest jaguar; Ashley Hill (Best Special Effects) who made good use of green screen to feature on Fairtrade and St Johns (Best Title Sequence) who looked at different types of unfairness in the world, including education, with very imaginative use of sport to make their points.

Tynwald Day – Monday 6th July – will soon be here and plans for the Global village are being finalised.  There will be:

* stalls run by Manx charities working overseas

* stalls run by country groups – come and have your name written in Chinese characters

* food from around the world

* activities for the family

* fairly traded goods

* performances including poetry, taekwondo, karate and aikido

Come and join us from 1000.

Would you like to enable sixth formers to engage with development issues? Are you looking for part time work? Do you enjoy communicating? Do you have administrative skills? Can you work independently?

If so you may be the person we are looking for!  The One World Charity Challenge needs a project co-ordinator working 8 hours a week from September 2015 to March 2016.  The closing date is 17:00 on Monday 15th June, and this is where you can find further information.  Interviews are expected week beginning 22nd June.

£15,800 has been banked as a result of the street collections on the Island the first weekend in May.  Thank you very much to those who stood on the streets and to so many who gave very generously.  It was astonishing to see so many notes and more silver than copper in the buckets.

In addition, Shakti Man (the Fairtrade shop in Ramsey) raised £3,000+ from a raffle and this will support the Fairtrade producers in Nepal that have been affected by the earthquake.

£3,000 was also raised by a retiring collection at the two ticketed events of the Guild.  This will be split between three smaller charities working in Nepal.

The Rotary Club are promoting their shelter boxes and so far another £8,000 has been contributed to this.

Well done to all, and many thanks for the difference you are making in the lives of those affected by the earthquake in Nepal

Fairtrade Fortnight runs from 23rd February to 8th March this year. So what can you do to help people choose products that change lives? How about a Fairtrade bake-off at work or school, Fairtrade chocolate tasting or a Fairtrade coffee morning? Have a look at the Fairtrade Foundation’s website to see inspiring stories of how Fairtrade makes a difference and for ideas of how you can celebrate. And let us know if you want an event publicising here!
http://fortnight.fairtrade.org.uk/

Leprosy is widely believed to be the world’s oldest disease and certainly one of the most stigmatised.  The World Health Organisation reports there are around a quarter of a million news cases of leprosy diagnosed globally every year and it is still endemic in 30 countries around the world.

Each year The Leprosy Mission collects used stamps to sell to collectors, with the money raised going towards healthcare and education about the disease, which typically hits the poorest people in society living without good sanitation or nutrition.

The One World Centre is once again organising the collection of stamps on the Island over Christmas time on behalf of The Leprosy Mission and the following school and churches have kindly offered to act as collection points:

Schools: Arbory, Ashley Hill, Ballasalla, Ballaugh, Bunscoill, Cronk y Berry, Marown, Onchan, St Johns, Scoill yn Jubilee, Willaston, Ballakermeen, QEII, St Ninians.

Churches: Ballasalla, St Matthews (Douglas), The Cathedral (Peel), Trinity Methodist (Douglas)

You can also send used stamps direct to the One World Centre, Thie Garey Ny Cloie, Foxdale Road, St Johns, Isle of Man IM4 3AS.

The stamps should be cut neatly with at least a 5mm edge around them and they will be collected to send on to The Leprosy Mission at the end of January 2015.  Thank you!