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In
1969 the story knocked the moon landings off of the front pages
- a hunger strike by six members of the Leigh Park community.
The
Sixpenny Six - so-called because of their protest at Portsmouth
City Council's decision to charge sixpence to enter a local park
- became the focus of the national media.
The
group were imprisoned but freed after a seven day hunger strike
- the then Labour Government calling on a fourteenth century law
to secure their release.
Thirty
years later, some members of the group joined with the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Community
Media Suite at the Park Community School to celebrate their famous
protest.
The
film was screened on the 35th anniversary of the original jailings,
which took place on 12 July 1969 - a day before the first moon walk.
Community
events in Leigh Park like the Sixpenny Six will live on in the memory
from now on, thanks to the launch of a volunteer media unit on the
estate.
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| Memories
from the Leigh Park community. |
Its
launch was announced by the Deputy Director General of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ,
Mark Byford, at a reception in July 2004 to celebrate the corporation's
Media On The Park partnership.
"The
group will film community events, such as the local carnival,"
he said.
"The
fact that it's happening is a tribute to the dedication of the founder
members, who have been training at Park Community School, which
I think is just superb.
"Working
with communities is what the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ should be, and is, all about",
he said.
The
group will be run by the members themselves, with support from the
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and the school's media suite.
"They
will also organise their own further training, in liaison with the
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ," said Mr Byford.
If there's
an event in Leigh Park that you'd like the community media unit to
film, email the group here.
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