Straight out of Dartford

Find out more about Dartford born director Andrea Arnold

STRAIGHT OUT OF DARTFORD

BY SHANNON RANDALL

Andrea Arnold grew up in poverty, her mother only 16 when she was born, which translates into her work as all four of her feature films cover topics of poverty and social injustice.

As people often do with such somber topics, Andrea’s style and films have been labeled as ‘bleak’. Despite the delicate subject matters, she doesn’t like this classification and profusely disagrees with the label. Her films represent reality for a lot of people and although there are dark and rather tough subjects covered, there is always an element of hope and appreciation of life countering.

The reason Andrea Arnold is a director worth noting is due to the methods she uses in her work. She chooses to use ‘non-actors’ -people with no previous acting experience- which has a huge effect on the finished product. She was quoted as saying that celebrities take the audience out of the immersion of the film, whilst ‘non-actors’ add a layer of reality you can’t get elsewhere. American Honey -which I would argue was her most popular and well received film- hired 11 of these ‘non-actors’, all who were just normal kids, discovered by Andrea on the streets of America. Not only does this add an element of realism to her films, but it also expands the options given to teens living in poverty, as well as the chance for an opportunity to get into a creative career and to break that poverty cycle. actors form their characters without intervention. Directing American Honey she even filmed the entire film in chronological order which is known to be a tedious method of directing!

Andrea is an unorthodox director who uses her past struggles and upbringing to shine a light on an often harshly judged sector of society and its people. This is not easy work to take on, especially using the methods she does and I believe she deserves admiration and recognition for this challenge!

YMCA CALLS ON COMMUNITY TO SLEEP OUT TO RAISE AWARENESS OF YOUTH HOMELESSNESS

For the very first time, YMCA Thames Gateway will come together with 11 other YMCAs across England to take part in a mammoth virtual Sleep Easy event on Friday, 26 March, with the aim of raising vital funds to help tackle the root causes of youth homelessness.

And so, from 7pm on Friday 26 to 7am on Saturday 27 March, hundreds of people across the country will be sleeping anywhere but their beds to raise awareness of the thousands of young people who are made homeless each year, and YMCA Thames Gateway is calling on local residents to join them. Money raised from the event will go towards delivering much needed support for residents and homeless young people. It will also help fund the charity’s community response, which is currently helping vulnerable families locally with essential food and care packages. In ordinary times, the charity’s annual sleep out would have involved groups and individuals sharing an evening outside and together, and experiencing some of the harsh realities of sleeping rough. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions and for the safety of participants and staff, the charity will be hosting Sleep Easy 2021 virtually this year. COVID-19 has not just had an impact on homelessness services but on fundraising as well. Traditionally, an event that brings lots of the community together in one place, this year will see people going solo or with their families and swapping the streets for bathtubs, sofas or garden tents. It is hoped that this special collaborative event will help YMCA Thames Gateway raise more funding than ever. Dave Ball, Chief Executive of YMCA Thames Gateway, said: “As a year, 2020 was more difficult and heartbreaking than anyone could ever have anticipated, but one overwhelming positive that emerged was the power of community and the difference that can make to people’s lives. “We know from our own experience over the past 150 years that without the support offered by YMCA Thames Gateway, many more vulnerable young people would be forced to sleep on the streets, with less options and less chance of realising their potential. “With this in mind, YMCA Thames Gateway is calling on the community to sleep somewhere other than their beds and help raise a record sum of money for this special Sleep Easy event. Please participate, donate and nominate to spread the word: one night can make a lifetime of difference.” YMCA is the largest voluntary sector provider of supported housing for young people in England and Wales, providing a bed for 8,800 people each night and collectively helping more than 20,000 people experiencing homelessness each year. YMCA Thames Gateway operates across several boroughs including Havering, Barking and Dagenham, Dartford, Greenwich, Bexley and Ashford. As a local charity, YMCA Thames Gateway has been serving the community for over 150 years. Whilst their focus is on young people, they work with all members of the community in the belief that everyone should be able to reach their full potential, regardless of their background. Find out more about YMCA Thames Gateway at www.ymcatg.org. If you would like to make a donation to the charity, visit: ymcatg.org/donate/

St George’s Church Hall DA11 0DJ