What Makes Us Care - A stunning exhibition

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

On my way to London today, I find no fewer than three people sleeping rough outside Central Milton Keynes train station.  This is becoming a worrying problem and the statistics don’t lie when it comes to seeing people living in almost unthinkable conditions.

Thames Reach record regular facts and figures on the homelessness and the figures are truly shocking.  6,437 people in the UK were seen sleeping rough between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013.  That is an increase of almost 1,000 on the 2011/12 year, and a 43 per cent increase on 2010/11 numbers.  In the autumn of 2012, the estimated total of rough sleeping counts estimated at 2,309 people.  Autumn and winter are the most fraught parts of the year for these kinds of people, as they are totally exposed to the winter elements and are very likely to pick up nasty colds and more pressing issues such as pneumonia. 

The most common reasons for becoming homeless involve an issue of domestic violence, the breakdown of a relationship with a partner or family no longer willing to accommodate a person due to private issues such as rent payments or even a criminal conviction. 

I was appalled when reading this, but what can be done about it?  Awareness of this issue needs to be highlighted more, particularly as we are now approaching the time where temperatures drop and the nights draw rapidly in.  One individual has decided to put a unique twist on this, and the results are simply spectacular.

'What Makes Us Care is worth visiting'

‘What Makes Us Care’ is a free exhibition at St. Martin in the Fields in London near Charing Cross tube station.  The exhibition has been put together by Kathryn Prescott and the photography is simply breathtaking and stunning to witness.  I went to the viewings on Saturday, and I really felt a connection with the expression portrayed in the photos.  It might be a small collection, but it is magnificent.  Every one of the pictures on display really do tell a story.

Prescott is known for her TV work as a talented actress in the former E4 teen drama Skins, which came to an end at the start of August after seven successful years on the box.  She has managed to get stars from Skins, along with cast members from popular shows such as Glee, Waterloo Road and Shameless to be photographed in a vulnerable state.  

Her idea of putting recognised faces in dark and uncompromising scenarios is an inspired idea.  You never know what might happen – it could be one of us next.  There is a huge block of the UK population who have a settled job, are financially secure and committed in a happy and loving relationship.  However it only takes one of these aspects to disappear, and a life on the streets might not be far away.  By putting familiar faces from TV in this gallery, Kat has managed to tell a strong and powerful story and it makes ‘What Makes Us Care’ a standout exhibit.

Shot mainly around London but also in Los Angeles in the United States, the likes of Georgia Henshaw, Elliot Tittensor, Kaya Scodelario, Ollie Barbieri and Craig Roberts have been photographed for this unique show.  Kat’s partner in the on-screen ‘Naomily’ story in Skins, Lily Loveless is another who has gone under the microscope.

Graphically astute and detailed to the absolute precise detail you could imagine, it is worth going even for just an hour after work or on a free weekend.  I’m not a massive fan of art but I know when I see a stunning photograph, scenic beauty or portrayal of someone.

The pictures range from Henshaw with a graffiti background looking emotionally drained, Chuck Hittenger looking up towards the sky, but laying down in fairly uncomfortable surroundings and Megan Prescott, Kat’s sister looking lost, lonely and heartbroken on a dull London day with her arms resting against her cute but disconsolate face.

Kathryn Prescott has produced some great work

Kathryn Prescott is still only 22 years old and is remarkably multi-talented.  Her portrayal of the popular lesbian teen character Emily Fitch in series three and four of Skins, along with a brief cameo in the most recent final series won her many fans and plenty of critical acclaim.  The love story of Emily and Naomi (played by Loveless) in the show opened a door previously closed in British drama of female relationships and dealing with their sexuality.  It was a cracking portrayal of a same-sex relationship and it was about two characters falling in love rather than just a chance or drunk encounter that other shows in the past decided to focus on when putting two female characters together. 

Since Skins, Prescott has appeared in Sky One drama Bedlam, Being Human and long-running BBC medical drama Casualty.  All of these roles were packed with drama, passion and intrigue.  Not only can she act, but she has shown that she is a very skilled photographer.  It shows that young people who are often stereotyped in this country as loud, snobbish and utter failures can do some great things.  She is a shining example for those who want to make something of themselves and do something tremendous in their spare time. 

The exhibition is set in a historic location

‘What Makes Us Care’ remains open until the middle of October and A3 prints of all 20 photos taken are available to be bought online, signed by Kat herself.  All proceeds from the prints will go to The Big Issue and Centrepoint youth charities with the aim to not only help two causes, but to highlight the issues of living on the streets, sleeping rough and struggling to eat a decent meal.  This shouldn’t happen and as already highlighted, numbers are also on the increase.  By doing this the message is now out there to severely reduce these crippling figures and I hope Prescott’s hard work, along with make-up artists Summm Agnew and Krystle Gohel and the printers at Metro Imaging is rewarded with a fantastic total for two worthy charities.

I will be buying an A3 print of one of the photos to show my support and I would recommend this exhibition to anyone who is a fan of photography, the actress or Skins to come down to London and see ‘What Makes Us Care.’  The photography is masterful, the setting where it is situated is very historic and it has opened my eyes to people who don’t have the lucky breaks the majority of us have.  Many of us have access to luxuries such as 3D TV’s, clever smartphones and flashy sportscars.  Others who live rough have to battle illness, and struggle to get a decent roast dinner.  ‘What Makes Us Care’ is a real highlight and it is all for some great causes.

‘What Makes Us Care’ is open until 13 October 2013 and is free to visit. 

For more information on the exhibition and to buy a print, visit www.bigissue.org.uk/whatmakesuscare  A3 prints are £30 individually or £120 for five and all proceeds are split between the two charities, The Big Issue and Centrepoint.

To make a donation, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/whatmakesuscare

Categories: Exhibition, Georgia Henshaw, Homeless, Kathryn Prescott, London, Los Angeles, Milton Keynes, Photography, UK, What Makes Us Care

2012 - A year in review - Famous faces who are no longer with us

Christmas is on the horizon, but 2012 has seen some famous faces from the world of music, space, sport, journalism and music that have sadly passed away.

Here is my tribute to 15 people who are no longer with us.

Whitney Houston (Music) – Died 11 February

American music was left mourning by the death of Whitney Houston on the eve of the Grammy Awards.  Houston was a major voice of the 1980s and early 1990s, selling over 86 million copies worldwide of her first four albums.

Some of her most powerful music included ‘I Will Always Love You’ and ‘One Moment in Time.’

Sadly, drugs and drink addiction plagued her career in later years and she died in February, with the official cause being accidental drowning.

Her legacy was tarnished in recent times, but her strong voice is missed by many on a global scale.

Frank Carson (Comedian) – Died 22 February

One of Northern Ireland’s prodigal sons died in February at the age of 85.

Frank Carson was a fantastic comedian and actor in his time, and was associated best with his roles in Tiswas and The Comedians.

One of his best catchphrases was ‘It’s a cracker.’  He made his impact in grand style in a period where comedy was at its peak.

Vidal Sassoon (Empire magnet) – Died 9 May

The world of women’s hairstyling was changed totally by Vidal Sassoon.

His international empire of hair-products changed the way many females went about styling, producing the famous catchphrase ‘If you don’t look good, we don’t look good.’ 

He also wrote books and starred in several television commercials in the 1980s.

Having been diagnosed with leukaemia in 2009, Sassoon passed away in Los Angeles in the springtime, aged 84. 

He revolutionised this industry and made himself to be a major success story.

Donna Summer (Music) – Died 17 May

Singer and songwriter Donna Summer was a brave soul, who battled cancer valiantly for the past year until her death in May at the age of 63.

She was often known as ‘Queen of Disco’ in the 1970s; a decade when dance music often led the way in the charts. 

Summer had hits such as ‘Love to Love You Baby,’ ‘Last Dance,’ and ‘Winter Melody.’

Sir Alastair Burnet (Broadcasting) – Died 20 July

Sir Alastair Burnet was one of the most familiar faces in news broadcasting throughout the 1970s and 1980s. 

He had spells as the editor of the Daily Express and The Economist, but his best and most distinguished work was with ITN as the main presenter of News at Ten for 18 years.

He retired in 1991 and after several strokes in the last decade, quietly passed away in July at the age of 84.

BBC journalist Andrew Neil called Burnet ‘Britain’s greatest broadcaster,’ and it is hard to argue with that.

Sally Ride (Space Exploration) – Died 23 July

Astrophysicist Sally Ride made history in 1983 when she became the first American woman in space.

She was part of the crew on the space shuttle Challenger and became an experienced astronaut with NASA afterwards.

Ride lost her battle with pancreatic cancer in the summer, aged 61.

Sid Waddell (Commentator) – Died 11 August

Sid Waddell was the passionate 'Voice of Darts.'

There is no doubt that Sid Waddell was the ‘Voice of Darts.’  He was as iconic to this as John Motson is to football, Richie Benaud to cricket and Murray Walker to motorsport.

He worked for Granada, Yorkshire and the BBC, before joining Sky Sports in 1994.  He published several books and commentated on many of Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor’s victories during his domination of the sport.

A day after his 72^nd birthday, Sid succumbed to bowel cancer.  He had still been working for Sky only a couple of months before his death.

From 2013, the PDC World Darts Championship trophy will be renamed as the Sid Waddell trophy.  This is a fitting tribute to one of sport’s most iconic commentators.

Tony Scott (Film director) – Died 19 August

Tony Scott took his own life in Los Angeles on 19 August, sending shockwaves through the film industry.

The English film director was the brother of Ridley Scott, also a famous director and producer of box office blockbusters.

He was best known for his roles in directing smash hits True Romance and Top Gun. 

Neil Armstrong (Space exploration) – Died 25 August

There are many words that can sum up the work of Neil Armstrong.  For me, the words spring to mind include pioneer, innovator, legendary and experienced.

On 20 July, 1969, Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon, an event watched by millions across the universe.

His words on the surface of ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,’ have gone down in folklore.

He served in the Korean War in the 1950s and also led the investigation into the Challenger space shuttle disaster of 1986.

After undergoing a heart bypass operation, Armstrong died of complications on 25 August at the age of 82.

His impact on both space exploration and the world we live in today though will never be forgotten.

Max Bygraves (Performer and comedian) – Died 31 August

Max Bygraves was a familiar figure on our television screens throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

He made 20 appearances at the Royal Variety Performance and performed plenty of comedy sketches and songs on his own television shows.

He was also one of the first hosts of Family Fortunes and not many will forget the episode with the regular references to ‘Turkey,’ in the final round.

Bygraves died at the end of August in Australia after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

He was one of the leaders in the variety entertainment sector and always produced a laugh for his many fans.

Professor Sid Watkins (Medical and motorsport) – Died 12 September

English neurosurgeon Professor Sid Watkins did a massive amount for the world of Formula One, improving the safety levels beyond recognition on this fast and dangerous sport.

Affectionally known in the Grand Prix fraternity as ‘Prof,’ Watkins was the first paramedic on the scene of Ayrton Senna’s fatal accident in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola.

His determination to improve safety, which has included structured crash tests, the mandatory introduction of the HANS system for drivers and top of the range medical facilities, have meant there has not been a single fatality in the sport since Senna’s death.

He was the FIA medic at all events from 1978 to 2004 and was appointed Head of Safety at the FIA in 2005; a role he held for six years.

Watkins was a guest of honour at this year’s British Grand Prix, but he died in September after a short illness at the King Edward VII Hospital in London.

Formula One and the world of medical science have a lot to thank Professor Sid Watkins for over the past 35 years.

Brian Woolnough (Journalism) – Died 18 September

Known in sport journalism circles as ‘Woolly,’ Brian Woolnough was one of the most respected writers in the industry.

He was the Chief Sports writer for tabloid newspaper the Daily Star, and also had a successful spell previous to this with the Daily Mirror.

It wasn’t just his writing skills that made him popular and remembered it was his presenting skills too.

Woolnough was the presenter of the Sunday Supplement for Sky Sports from 2007 until earlier this year and also hosted Hold the Back Page for the corporation. 

You couldn’t say a bad word about Brian Woolnough and he fought bowel cancer in the same integrity and dignity he had as one of the leading sport journalists of this country.

He died on 18 September and as the tributes flowed in, it became clear how much an impact he had on the journalistic world, which has gone through some troubled times in recent years.

Bill Tarmey (Television actor) – Died 9 November

Bill Tarmey was the heartbeat of ITV serial drama Coronation Street for over three decades.

He played the character Jack Duckworth on the cobbles, first appearing in Weatherfield in 1979 and returning in 1983 on a full-time basis.

He was part of the great double act Jack and Vera, played by Liz Dawn.  Much-loved by all in television, the former singer decided to leave Corrie in 2010 due to ill health.

He passed away in Tenerife in November at the age of 71.  Farewell Jack, everyone will have a pint for you in the Rovers Return this Christmas.

Larry Hagman (Television actor) – Died 23 November

Another legendary television actor passed away from the world in November, as Larry Hagman succumbed to complications of cancer at the age of 81.

Hagman’s most recognised role was on the primetime drama Dallas, which gripped in the UK in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Like Neighbours and Home & Away afterwards, Dallas became a popular programme for the British viewers and Hagman played the evil oil tycoon JR Ewing.

The ‘Who Shot JR’ plot of 1980 is still known as one of television’s greatest ever ‘Who Dunnit’ mysteries.

After a guest role on plastic surgery drama Nip/Tuck in 2006, Hagman reprised his role as JR in the reincarnation of Dallas earlier this year. 

He had a popular charm around him and the second new series of Dallas next year will feel odd without his presence.  

Sir Patrick Moore (Astronomy) – Died 9 December

Author of over 70 books on astronomy, Sir Patrick Moore was a familiar face in the field and was presenter of the world’s longest-running television series with the same original presenter.

The BBC’s The Sky at Night won’t be the same without him, and nor will the astronomical world.  

Former president of the British Astronomical Association, Moore did what he could to make it a popular field and he certainly managed to achieve this.

Categories: America, Donna Summer, ITN, Los Angeles, Music, NASA, Northern Ireland, Sid Waddell, Vidal Sassoon, Whitney Houston