If you’re like me you have causes you support but I was really touched by the project long time speaking colleagues, Patricia Cameron-Hill and Shayne Yates, have embarked upon. I really do want you to know about it and share it with your colleagues, friends and family, particularly children and grandchildren.
I’ve asked Shayne to tell the story but, if you can’t spare the time to read the story below, go straight to a preview and see the series at www.iwinyoulose.com.au/
“Patricia and I have for many years been working with recovering gamblers. They had little funding for this and fortunately Patricia’s sister offered to fund the programs through her family charitable trust.
Eventually I became chairman of the organisation, Chrysalis Insight, (to keep an eye on the money), but after a few years the CEO wanted to move on to other areas. At this stage we had money left over and the suggestion was to make a documentary.
Initially this was to focus on people who had overcome their gambling addiction. At the same time we were doing a program at St Michaels in the city and the relieving minister said that his wife, Joni Tooth, was an experienced director having produced programs here and for the BBC before they moved to Australia.
We engaged her to start researching the program. She spoke to researchers, reformed gamblers, counsellors and varies antigambling agencies. She even went undercover to a 2 day gambling industry conference in Sydney.
After 3 months she reported that there was little sympathy overall for problem gamblers in the community and doubted the effectiveness of such a documentary. However it became apparent that there was genuine concern amongst many professionals about the insidious nature of gambling promotion upon children.
Joni then decided that a drama would have much greater impact than a documentary. And because it is private funding we didn’t have our hands tired like many agencies do who rely on government funding for their programs.
I think it looks great, we shot it on a shoe string budget of $350,000 (I think it has the look of a million dollar production), Robyn’s trust provided the money, the blue Jaguar is Patricia’s and Robyn and I appear as grandma and grandpa to save money!
The program is provided for free and our main aim is for it to be shown in schools, say year 10 and above.”
Now, go to the preview and see the series at http://www.iwinyoulose.com.au/
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