A FILM highlighting the issues faced in balancing farming for food production and managing land for wildlife launched at Zeffirellis, Ambleside last week.

‘To The End We Will Go’, from Cumbria Wildlife Trust, was produced by local filmmaker Simon Sylvester.

The event brought together people involved in and working with hay meadows from across Cumbria to view the film, which features interviews with farmers, wildlife conservationists and students from Orton Primary School.

It features stunning footage of local hay meadows, close-ups of wildlife and archive footage from the collection of Tom Temple, held by the Northumberland Archive.

Claire Green, Meadow Life Volunteers & Communications Officer who was instrumental in getting the film made, said: “Simon put a lot of work into making this film as stunning as it is and so it’s great to see so many people here today who helped us with the film.

“Cumbria Wildlife Trust has been helping people restore hay meadows for over 10 years and the current project has carried out restoration at over 40 farms locally, so it’s also great to see so many people here who have either had a meadow restored or have help with activities such as plug planting.”

Simon Sylvester runs Kendal College’s film production course as well as working as an independent filmmaker and author.

“This was a long term project I could really get my teeth stuck into,” he said.

“I did lots of research, as I knew a different set of skills were needed along with the right equipment to create the hay meadow time lapse footage even before we’d looked for a location.

“Finding a location was tricky as I needed to take account of things like where the sun would set and which direction the prevailing wind came from. There were so many variables, and it was very complicated, but it has been very rewarding”,he added.

Talks at the launch were also given by Simon Sylvester and Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Conservation Manager, David Harpley and Conservation Officer, Graham Jackson-Pitt.

The film has been made thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and can be viewed at www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/hay-meadow-film.