Unedited Tyne Tees Television news footage of a visit to the Open Learning Technology Centre at the University of Teesside by Sedgefield MP and Leader of the Opposition Tony Blair to launch the CIRCA (Community Informatics Research and Applications Unit) project on the 26th July 1996. Mr Blair makes a speech after which is interviewed by Tyne Tees reporter Peter Holland. He leaves after speaking briefly with Redcar MP Mo Molam. A sign on the side of a building reads ‘Open Learning...

Unedited Tyne Tees Television news footage of a visit to the Open Learning Technology Centre at the University of Teesside by Sedgefield MP and Leader of the Opposition Tony Blair to launch the CIRCA (Community Informatics Research and Applications Unit) project on the 26th July 1996. Mr Blair makes a speech after which is interviewed by Tyne Tees reporter Peter Holland. He leaves after speaking briefly with Redcar MP Mo Molam. A sign on the side of a building reads ‘Open Learning Technology Centre’. Nearby a small group of men and women stand outside chatting as others arrive and head inside. In the foyer of the building people mill around chatting over cups of tea or coffee, more people arrive queuing to get inside. A Jaguar car pulls up outside the building and three men get out. A second car pulls up outside and four men get out including the Leader of the Labour Party and Member of Parliament for Sedgefield Tony Blair. He shakes hands with David Bowe, Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber Cleveland and Richmond and Professor Derek Fraser Vice-Chancellor of the University of Teesside. Professor Fraser leads the Leader of the Opposition inside the Open Learning Technology Centre. Tony Blair poses for photographs with three people beside a banner for the University of Teesside’s Community Informatics Research Applications Unit (CIRA). Inside a lecture theatre delegates sit chatting as they wait for the launch event to begin, nearby a copy of the days itinerary. At the back of the theatre television cameras being set up. Professor Fraser, Tony Blair and a David Bowe enters the theatre. As Professor Fraser opens the event Tony Blair pours himself a glass of water, those around the room listen on intently. Tony Blair walks to the lectern to the applause of the audience. He begins by introducing Mo Molam, Member of Parliament for Redcar and Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who is sitting in the audience. He makes a speech to the audience on the work being done by the University of Teesside in providing educational opportunities for the people of Teesside and the wider region. He goes onto talk about the importance of the CIRA project which, he hopes, will form part of an incoming Labour government to harness the possibilities of technologies. His speech comes to an end and the audience applauds. In the foyer beside the CIRA banner seen earlier Tony Blair is interviewed by Tyne Tees Television reporter Peter Holland about the affect projects such as CIRA will have on communities such as Trimdon. He replies that it will revolutionise people’s lives and hopes this pioneering project that could spread around the country. Outside Tony Blair and Mo Molam chat briefly before he gets into his waiting car and is driven away. The remainder of the film features a man sitting at a computer looking at and using various webpages relating to Community Informatics Research Applications Unit and the University of Teesside.