Selection of rare Cumbrian farming films to be shown at Rheged

The evening is being organised with North West Film Archive, who have curated a selection of films exploring the issues affecting farms and countryside management in Cumbria in the 1970s and 80s.

The evening will open with Cumbrian author Terry McCormick, well-known for his book 'Lake District Fell Farming 1750-2017'.

In his introductory talk, Terry will challenge the cultural myth making about farming.

Geoff Senior, from the North West Film Archive based at Manchester Metropolitan University, will join the stage to introduce each film selected from their TV documentaries collection.

Viewers will take a step back in time as they see archive footage and remember local characters such as Joss Naylor and Christine Birchall, as well as beloved TV personalities like Frank Mellor who fronts many of the items.

Mellor moves past the scenery of the Lakes and into the barns and farmyards, to talk to The locals about making a living from the land.

Geoff Senior said: “We are really looking forward to bringing this one-off screening to Rheged.

“This is a specially curated programme of films to complement the Forty Farms Exhibition. It is part of the TV Time Machine project taking the regional TV collection archive to cinemas in the North West, with the help of the BBC.

“The cinema programme at Rheged will include a look at Joss Naylor’s family life with the coming of mains electricity to Wasdale in 1977, and join the Birchall family in their new venture of taking on a small local farm to find out the highlights, as well as the pitfalls, of making a living off the land.”

This nostalgic evening gives any budding film enthusiasts, writers and those with a connection to Cumbria and Farming a chance to speak to Geoff and Terry in a Live Q&A session. To book ticket visit the Rheged website.

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