In 1985, one in three children are living in poverty and 12 million families depend on some form of state benefit. Produced by the Sheffield Film Co-op a documentary in which Sheffield women with children living on low wages or benefits, and some of the young people themselves, present their analysis of the situation - their criticisms of the Thatcher Government's spending priorities; their anger at the struggle they are required to endure; their hopes and fears for their children's...

In 1985, one in three children are living in poverty and 12 million families depend on some form of state benefit. Produced by the Sheffield Film Co-op a documentary in which Sheffield women with children living on low wages or benefits, and some of the young people themselves, present their analysis of the situation - their criticisms of the Thatcher Government's spending priorities; their anger at the struggle they are required to endure; their hopes and fears for their children's futures. Quotations from Mrs. Thatcher and accompanying animation illustrate the practical reality and class interests of Tory policy which the women are challenging. To them singing a clapping rhyme about their mothers living on low pay, a montage of children of various ages changes to an animation featuring Margaret Thatcher’s ‘Family Store’ with her telling the view to ‘let out children grow tall’. In a school hall a class of young children stand and stetch accompanied by a teacher on piano. Returning to the animation who children appear to ask for sweets from a jar which Mrs Thatcher takes away. Title: 4 million British children (one third) live in poverty. Half of these live-in working families Let Our Children Grow Tall! A group of children play around a high-rise apartment block changes to a balcony of one of the upper flats. Two mothers talk about why they don’t let her children go out to play because they live in these apartments. Washing blowing on a line outside a tower block changes to two boys playing with their toys in their bedroom. In voiceover one of the mothers explains the issues of her children playing inside. A toddler stands on a windowsill looking outside with a mother explaining her frustrations of having children under her feet all the time. A second animation featuring Mrs Thatcher who provides details on what mothers living in tower blocks can do, keep on renting or purchase their flat. Returning the mothers, one laughs at the idea of wanting to buy her flat as she wants to move her family out. She goes onto talk about the problems of not allowing her children to play outside. As she talks about the playschool her two children attend, her children playing happily on a peddle car and mix with other children. A third mother tucks her young child into bed with multiple blankets, she speaks about issues of drafts and mould in her flat and how this is affecting her children’s health. She explains that she has been waiting nearly two years for an inspector to come out to see the flat in order that she can be moved. Other mothers in a group talk about similar issues, the two mothers being interviewed outside talk about taking their children having to go to the doctor for chest infections caused by lack of central heating in their flats. A boy on a BMX bicycle rides past the remains of a street of demolished houses, in voiceover one of the former residents talks about the issues these properties had. Following children playing in the street members of the Flower Street Community Association talk about the work they did convincing the council that their homes weren’t fit for human habitation and to get them moved as well as their hold homes demolished. As they talk general views of houses that are part way through demolition with children playing in them. As one of the women in the Flower Street Community Association talks about the lack of facilities for children the Steel City Majorettes, a juvenile jazz band, practice on a piece of waste ground. Women from the group provide details of a play scheme she has been running, as she speaks children at the centre playing snooker and doing crafts. On a school playground, older children playing together while in a classroom younger one’s working with dough. In a park two Afro-Caribbean women go for a walk with their small children, one of them explains why she works nights as a Staff Nurse at a local hospital. Sitting next to her the other woman who explains why she doesn’t work as she wouldn’t be able to enough to feed her family of five. As their children enjoy ice creams in the park, she talks about why she has gone into higher education. Another group of women talking about how much money their husbands earn, many are worse of than when the family were on benefits. Some of the women also work but have problems with low wages. Over a montage of the Sheffield skyline one of the women explains that 35% of those living on her estate are unemployed, the group talk about how those who are employed don’t understand what it is really like being unemployed. The Burgoyne Youth Club a young black, Franky Todd, explains what it is like being unemployed while one of the women explains that she gets angry when she sees people on the dole getting more money than her husband who is working. As a dinner lady in a school begins to serve a food to the children in a dining room, she explains in voiceover that for most of those getting free school this will be the most nutritious meals of the day. As two children tuck into their food the following statistic. Title: Free school dinners in Sheffield. 1975 = 12%. 1984 = 40% The dinner lady explains that if she sees a child who needs it, she makes sure they get a second helping. As the children in the playground gather around her, she talks about what would happen if free school dinners weren’t provided. Back with the women one talks about seeing children going hungry and helping where she can. In a playground a group gathers around a boy breakdancing, around them other children playing. In voiceover some of them talk about what they would like to be when they grow up. Back at the Burgoyne Youth Club a second young black man explains that there isn’t any job, that is why he is into his music. A group of teenagers sit around a table while a reggae band performs nearby. Outside two teenage girls sitting on a wall, one explaining why the youth club is important. As children play on apparatus in a playground, Franky Todd reads a poem he has written entitled “Don’t Blame The Youth” in which he describes having a future. The poem ends mentioning the Youth Training Scheme (YTS). Several teenager girls talking about being in the scheme and the challenges of getting the experience necessary to find a job. Franky Todd also explains that he has been on a scheme where he was treated like a dogsbody. Over a montage of both the police and shoppers in the centre of Sheffield, Franky talking about the lack of jobs now talks about being harassed by the police when he goes into town because of his race. An old woman walks past carrying a plastic Union Jack changes back to Franky talking about the importance of having aspiration like he has in his music. As various young mothers walk past pushing their children in buggies, the young woman who has been speaking about being on a YTS scheme believes there is a need for change and hope things will be better for her children. Returning to one of the groups of women, one of them talks about having to cut down as her husband is out of work. As another woman talks about how her mother-in-law helps out with providing for her children, she explains that she often only eats a bowl of soup a day. As she speaks a montage of vegetables and fruit for sale in a green grocer. As a mother feeds her small child sitting in a buggy, one of the Afro-Caribbean women talks about the challenges of feeding her children healthy. Over another montage of more fruit and vegetables available at a green grocer as well as minced beef in a butcher's, the woman explaining that she can’t afford to buy any fruit for her children even though she knows it is good for them. As a boy eats a hamburger in the street, another woman explains that sometimes this is all she can afford to give them. As she speaks a third montage of fresh fruit and vegetables as well as various cuts of meat. A view from a balcony a block of high-rise apartments, possibly the Park Hill Flats. In voiceover a mother from the Kelvin Nursery Collective talks about the lack of facilities for her children to play. As she continues to speak children play on a landing with one small boy walking down a set of stairs. The woman talks about being neighbourly and creating a community spirit, whereas in most of the block you never see anyone. Another woman talks about the purpose of the collective while on a landing a mother watches over a group of children playing. Inside children playing on a slide and do craft work. Returning to one of the women’s groups seen previously, one mother talks about the challenges of providing things for children when they have little or no money. As they speak a montage of various children’s bikes and toys in display in shop windows. The women talk about having little time from looking after the children and housework and the need for a break, in a field a mother speaks with her child sitting in a tricycle. They move onto to talk about the cost of clothing that feature displays of fashions in a shop window and people shopping in a shopping centre. One woman provides details of getting a school grant and what she can get with it. Title: LEA clothing grants in Sheffield. 1979-80 4300. 1984-85 17,000 Some of the mothers are critical of how the clothing from these grants are given out changes to a montage of people walking through the centre of Sheffield carrying various designer fashion carrier bags and a boy carrying a large, boxed toy. Over a montage of shoes for sale in shop windows one of the women explains why she can’t afford to buy the proper shoes for her children. As a woman puts on a pair of shoes for a toddler another complains about the costs of shoes that will only last a couple of months. She is critical of Family Allowance payments being paid to those who don’t need it when it could be given to single-parent families such as her. Title: Annual cost of child benefit £4.4 million An animation featuring a family having their benefits taken away by Margaret Thatcher to give tax cuts to the rich. Title Estimated annual tax-evasion cost £4 billion The women continue to discuss the importance of Family Allowance, they all laugh and joke about a recent 15p increase which they consider a pittance. Another animation relating to this increase featuring Margaret Thatcher. One of the women suggests Mrs Thatcher come with her shopping, the group begin to talk about the challenges of budgeting and living on the benefits they receive. Another animation featuring a family looking over a table containing only small amounts of food transforming from having a little to a lot. Franky Todd again from the Burgoyne Youth Club talks about the importance of having money is followed by another animation showing a family standing outside a tower block transforming to them standing outside a large mansion. An animation of Margaret Thatcher pushing a button on a cash register and the words ‘Rent Increases’ appearing. Both young black men talk about how they don’t believe Margaret Thatcher is here to help people like them. Returning to one of the women’s groups, they believe Mrs Thatcher is out of touch with families like theirs. In a classroom a group of children are also critical of Mrs Thatcher whom they see as putting people out of work. One woman admits voting for her in the last election because she thought she would make things better; she won’t do it again. Another sees her as manipulating the working-class. Another animation this time showing Mrs Thatcher destroying the pillars of the welfare state, the women talk about having to lower their energy usage as they can’t afford to heat their homes properly. A woman puts 50p into a Yorkshire Electricity Board meter and the meter turning. Title: Fuel profits 1984. Gas £404.2 million. Electricity 491.6 million A woman isn’t aware that extra money that could be given to her from the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) to help pay for energy costs, another is critical of the system and explains that it isn’t their job to tell them about grants or benefits they are entitled to, rather it is the women’s job to know beforehand before asking for it. Another woman talks positively about a local Advice Centre which helped her get an additional Maternity Grant on top of other benefits she was entitled to from the DHSS. Other women talk about the issues dealing with an organisation like the DHSS. As her children feed ducks in a park, one of the two Afro-Caribbean women is critical of the lack of benefits available to women from her ethnic background to help support children with Sickle cell anaemia which only affects children from Afro-Caribbean backgrounds. This is in contrast to funding that is available to families and children with cystic fibrosis which only affects white people. The women from one of the groups talk about the frustrations and bureaucracy dealing with the DHSS, some have taken out loans to pay for things they believe should be paid for by the DHSS. Another woman tries to explain why people don’t always want to claim for benefits they are entitled to. Another believes that if people were given a decent wage to live on then this would reduce the number of people on benefits. Another animation inside Mrs Thatcher’s shops showing her handing over national assets to the city which is represented by a man jumping out a window carrying a large sack with ‘Official Swag. British Telecom’ on it. A woman from the South Yorkshire Miners Defence Campaign believes the government is wanting those who have been made redundant to remain at ‘rock bottom’ as well as make them move away from where they live. She goes onto talk the changes in the types of employment available in the area which is now mainly aimed at women. Returning again to one of the women’s groups one of them talks about the low wage’s women are accepting as they need the money. Others wonder how it can change while Franky Todd states there is no one available to help you. Joined by a colleague, the woman from the South Yorkshire Miners Defence Campaign believes this is a deliberate tactic of Margaret Thatcher wanting people to feel as if they are on their own. As she speaks children playing outside a semi-detached house, the home of the defence campaign with the front windows covered in posters. All the women talk about become despairing of the situation especially since the end of the 1984-85 Miners Strike. Another animation this time of an angry crowd outside Mrs Thatcher’s shop as the rates of pay for a job being advertised is slashed. Children talk about building more factories so people can go to work and do better things with the money they earn. Some of the women talk about how they would like to make their lives better, one asked for an additional £100 a week to cover her necessities while another asks for a garden for her children to play in. The film ends with children spinning on a roundabout and some of the women talking about wanting to leave something good for their children. As children sing another clapping rhyme a final montage of children playing ending in the classroom seen at the start of the film a small girl standing and stretching her arms into the air. Title: Appearing in the film Jackie Badger, Denise Barton, Janet Bedford, Julie Brunt, Leon Christie, Pat Christie, Joanne Crafer, Maxine Donnelly, Millicent Douglas, Jackie Grant, Wayne Green, Linda Grimes, Caroline Guy, Lynn Harrison, Eve Hartley, Gill Hartley, Christine Holmes, Pat Hookway, Maureen Jackson, Shirley Jeffcock, Stephanie Lake, Cookie Munshi, Julie Myers, Jacky Newbold, Debbie Ogden, Colette Pass, Hazel Pedelty, Navlet Reid, Angela Rhodes, Tracy Richards, Tracy Scanlan, Anne Shortt, Janice Shortt, June Smith, Franky Todd, Margaret Walker, Lindsay Wheeler, Tracy Wild Also appearing Louise Ackroyd, John Askham, Paul Badger, Nicky Bingham, Claire Booth, Paul Booth, Terry Brunt, Lucy Cattel, Joanne Gill, Simon Francis, Anjid Gleeson, Kelly Hartley, Jason Hastings, Stacey Marie Howe, Jamie Jackson, Ryan Jeffcock, Lee Jeffcock, Jamie Joel, Mark Joel, Terry Lacey, Michael Moxom, Tazim Munshi, Zara Munshi, Angela Pedelty, Hannah Reid, Jamie Rhodes, Tarina Richardson, Brett Seedhouse, Christopher Walters, Sean Ward, Andrew Ward, Marsha White, Stuart Whitworth, Nicola Woodhouse, Liam Wood, Stuart Wright And the children of the Flowers Estate, Mr Powell’s class Tinsley Infants School, Steel City Majorettes Credit: Margaret Thatcher’s voice Steve Nallon Clapping rhymes written by Peter Stewart Performed by Miranda Booth, Kate Kavanagh, Sian MacAdam, Cherry Smith “Don’t Blame the Youth” written and performed by Franky Todd “Session on the Corner” performed by Revelation School piano played by Lilian Briggs Margaret Thatcher’s words from ‘Thatcher Reign’ by Melanie McFadyean and Margaret Renn Title: Thanks to Sarah Bellamy, Scyld Browring, Caroline Campbell, Linda Carnall, John Farrell, Richard Fletcher, Rachel Harrison, William Horrocks, Jason Jeffcock, Catherine Lewington, Anne Lindley-French, Lyndon Marshall, Lee Marshall, Glynn Moor, Daina Moxom, Lee Myers, Nicky Newbold, Anthony Waddington, Liz Watts, Christopher Wilkinson And to Burgoyne Youth Club, Five Arches Community Centre and Creche, Flowers Estate Community Association and Junior Club, Kelvin Nursery Collective, Woodhouse Community Education Centre, Woodhouse Youth Centre, Wybourn Mother and Toddler Group, Wybourn Middle School The pupils and staff of Park Hill First and Middle School, Shiregreen Middle School, Tinsley Nursery and Infant School, Woodthorpe Nursery, First and Middle School Chief Medical Officer Sheffield MDC, Principle School Meal Organiser Sheffield MDC, Mr and Mrs C. Fitzgerald Beds for Everyone, B.H.&P. Dallyn, Dawns, Home Farm Products, Presto Peterborough, Tammy Limited, Timpsons Credit: Video Camera and Lighting Nancy Schiesari Assistant Chrissie Stansfield Lighting Trainee Davinder Kaur Video Sound Rebecca Maguire Assistant Bec Goldstone Film Lighting Christine Bellamy Film Camera Christine Stansfield Film Sound Hilary Wilkinson, Christine Bellamy Animation Gillian Lacey Editor Angela Martin Assistant Bernadette Moloney Research Gill Booth Production Bernadette Moloney Co-director Gill Booth Director Christine Bellamy Title: With thanks to Jenny Woodley, David F. Rea, Caroline Laidler, Colin Pons, Alf Bower, Sheffield Independent Film Ltd, Sheffield City Polytechnic And the people of Sheffield and South Yorkshire who helped in the making of this film Margaret Thatcher’s voice recorded Yorkshire Arts Association Communications Centre Animation filmed at Computer Cameras Ltd Dubbing studio Preview Two Film processing and Electronic Film Confirming Filmatic Laboratories End title: Produced by Sheffield Film Co-op. Sheffield Film Co-op is an ACTT enfranchised workshop funded by the British Film Institute and Channel 4 Television. © Sheffield Film Co-op 1986