A COMMUNITY group is hoping to use the power of film to bring together the small communities dotted around Halstead.

Moving-Pictures, a completely non-profit organisation, is bidding for £50,000 of lottery funding to allow it to create a community caravan, which can tour around the isolated villages and hamlets in the area.

Mercedes de Dunewic, chairman of Moving-Pictures, said: “At the moment we put on film shows in village halls, nursing homes, libraries and such around Halstead.

“A lot of people come up to us and ask if we know anyone who can help them with for instance a problem with their housing or their bills.

“We thought it would be a great idea if we could have a community caravan where people can meet-up and get to know each other, have tea and cake, receive advice and watch a film as well.

“Our community caravan would really make a difference, to us as a community group and to the many village communities we serve.”

The project is one of five groups competing in East Anglia for the funding, with the projects that receive the most votes getting the cash.

Moving-Pictures show films from a mixture of the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s where the copyright may have lapsed and is run entirely by volunteers.

Mrs de Dunewic, a resident of Great Yeldham, said: “A lot of elderly people come along and they like the old films, but we have youngsters who come along to see things like Laurel and Hardy which they absolutely love.

“I think film is very important, to me we are very much what we see.

“I remember putting on a film at one nursing home, we played White Christmas, and one man was nearly in tears and told me he had not seen it since he was a child with his sister.

“Doing this can be so moving and rewarding.

“It is great living in a village but it can be very lonely sometimes “Loneliness is a social disease and it seems to be getting worse today.

“Hopefully we can help combat that loneliness for some people.”

The Big Lottery Fund, ITV and The National Lottery have teamed up to give the public the chance to decide how £3 million of National Lottery funding will make a difference in their area.

Other projects up for the prize include a young person’s befriending scheme, dog assisted therapy for autistic children and a group which promotes cultural diversity.

Voting closes on Monday, April 3. Vote www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk.