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Queen Victoria visits Sheffield, 1897 (c YFA)

Christmas 1949 when Grandma fell asleep on the Christmas pudding… little Colin on a donkey on that great beach hol in Scarborough back in '68… Jeanette falling over on the dancefloor in her wedding dress in '57… even Queen Victoria's visit to Sheffield in 1897.

Have you ever wondered whether all those cobwebby home movies in people's attics will ever see the light of day again? Or whether the technology has changed so much that they'll they never be seen again?

Well thanks to a new project, you needn't worry that your old cine-films will be lost forever.

:: Do you have any old film reels lurking in your attic, itching to be watched again?

Region on Film is a project between the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ, the Yorkshire Film Archive and CSV. Supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund it has funded a two-year project to identify, preserve and screen old cine-film. The team bestowed with this task is based at ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Sheffield.

- Which films qualify? -

Any film which demonstrates aspects of the social, cultural or economic history of South Yorkshire is of interest to the team.

We can accept almost any cine-films (anything pre-video cassette, which came in during the 1970s). However, if you think your film is very old and cellulose-nitrate based, (known as 'celluloid' or 'nitrate' film) you should contact us before looking at or moving the film. Contact Norman Wigley at the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Sheffield by phoning 0114 2731177.

Archive your footage

Andy Kershaw from ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Sheffield's CSV Action Desk says, "There's a great deal of old cine-film lying in people's attics, outhouses, garages and lofts which could tell us a great deal about how we lived in the last half century. But it's in danger of being dumped."

- Your films -

If you have any old films, a team of volunteers can collect the film, assess it, and with the help of the Yorkshire Film Archive, the volunteers aim to restore and preserve the film with a view to showing it at venues such as schools, libraries and community centres.

Playground games, c. 1930 (Yorkshire Film Archive)

:: You can either donate or lend us your cine film; once it has been assessed we will return it to you, if that is what you wanted, unless of course the Yorkshire Film Archive are keen to discuss with you the possibility of its acquisition for the Archive.

Contact Norman Wigley at the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Sheffield by phoning 0114 2731177, or by emailing regiononfilm@hotmail.co.uk

- Films so far... -

Norman writes about some recent finds..

:: Chapeltown / Wentworth Scouts 1937 - 1940. We have film showing parades and scouting activities including gang shows and winter rallies - much of it in colour.
:: Pubs in Walkley in the 1960s.
:: Shops in Barnsley in the 1950s.
:: About 2 hours of footage of Wombwell area which includes the demolition of the Wombwell Empire and the building of the Yorkshire Traction bus depot in 1961.
:: Views of Sheffield City Centre in 1973.

Many of these recent finds will be considered by the Yorkshire Film Archive for inclusion in their collection and the films would then be available for people in South Yorkshire to see. If any local group or local community would like us to arrange a screening for them, please let us know."Ìý