A Sheffield Film Co-op documentary made in co-operation with women living on a council estate in Sheffield who set up and run the 5 Arches Community Centre. Supported by adult education workers and with council funding and support, their centre is now providing some of the basic daily needs of the local women, including a full-time creche, a kitchen and education classes. A panoramic view over a Sheffield council estate near to the 5 Arches Community Centre Title: “Changing Our Live” 5...

A Sheffield Film Co-op documentary made in co-operation with women living on a council estate in Sheffield who set up and run the 5 Arches Community Centre. Supported by adult education workers and with council funding and support, their centre is now providing some of the basic daily needs of the local women, including a full-time creche, a kitchen and education classes. A panoramic view over a Sheffield council estate near to the 5 Arches Community Centre Title: “Changing Our Live” 5 Arches Community Centre As one of the women who help runs the centre talks about the work they did setting it up and apply for funding to keep it going women arrive at the centre, many with small children. Two women carry a large table into the centre while another answers the telephone in an office. Around her other women carrying out office work including writing cheques which are to be posted out. As the woman narrating this film talk about how most of the funds, they have raised has gone into its creche, a woman plays with two small boys in the creche itself. Around the room other children playing with the woman talking in voiceover about the benefits to both the mothers and their children of the creche. In another room women taking part in an exercise class while in a third women taking part in a dressmaking class. In voiceover the woman provides details of other activities and classes that are available and the support they receive from the likes of Adult Education. Returning to the woman she talks about the importance of a women’s discussion group, in another room women taking part in said group with some of the women talking about how the centre has helped them when they have separated or become divorced in giving them the confidence to be on their own. In another room women taking part in a ‘2nd Chance Education’ class, some of them talk about why they missed out in education when they were younger. As a woman provides details about how the classes are run which differently from schools, two women laughing as they work together on a maths problem. A meeting of the five women who run the centre featuring the woman who has been speaking throughout this production. She talks about why it is a unique centre as it is entirely run by volunteers. As the woman narrating talks about the centre needing its own washing and cooking facilities, in the kitchen the women work together preparing a meal for their children. Amongst them is Les who assists in the kitchen. He sits with the narrator and provides details of both what he does and why he helps at the centre. Two men walking on crutches make their way towards the disabled block, inside Jack who runs it as part of 5 Arches talks about how he become involved and about how the disabled centre was set up. As he provides details of what the centre can provide, an older man in a wheelchair drawing what appears to be the film crew. Jack talks about missing out on his education when he was younger, and the importance of the adult education provided at the centre that he and other disabled people can access along with all the other facilities. Two people sit together playing a game of Scrabble changes to a disabled woman who explains that loneliness is the main reasons why she likes visiting 5 Arches. Returning to the women who run the centre, one of them talks about the importance of someone from a local advice centre coming in to talk to the women about welfare rights. She believes it needs to be advised more in the local areas as many would benefit from their advice. She goes onto explains the most important thing she leaned was how to deal with the areas many loan-sharks. The woman seen at the start of the film explains that they don’t have enough money to run centre, however with the many activities the centre runs it is less likely the council can close them down. She also talks about the massive support the centre has from local women. A woman arrives at the centre with three small children, she unlocks the door and heads inside. In voiceover the woman featured talks about what women learn from coming to 5 Arches and how they have changed as a person for the better. Title: Taking part Jan Burrows, Anita Merrill, Marina Grimshaw, Dorothy Beale, Chris “2 Tone” Wood, Les Roper, Chris Woods, Jack Crowder, Chris Price, Evelyn Hill Also appearing June Shamson, Kath Goddard, Sharon Crowder, Barbara Sellers, Joe Graham, Janice Gibson, Alec Pickles, Jean Gillard, Norman Gill, Sue Hobson, Emmy Wilson, Jackie McKeen, Bernard Clarke Thanks to Mary Renshaw and Tony Oliver from Adult Education. Anne Rayner and Janice Megson from 5 Arches Creche. Suzanne Phillips, Angela Martin, Louise Reagan and June Pearce for technical assistance Credit: Computer Graphics Alan Pemberton. Title: Technical Facilities Sheffield Independent Film Ltd, Sheffield City Polytechnic Thanks to all who helped in the making of this video tape As one of the women at the centre closes up and locks the entrance door, she sees and waves at the camera. Produced by Sheffield Film Co-op End title: © Sheffield Film Co-op Limited 1984