In 2015 The Big Lottery awarded our filmmaking partners Four Corners £10,000 to conduct a filmmaking pilot project with St Martins’ service users. We are now closing in on funding to develop filmmaking workshops over the next two years. The filmmaking workshops will interrogate the effect of so called ‘legal highs’ and recently banned substances which have such a devastating impact on vulnerable groups.
We are also seeking partners from the charity and not-for-profit sector to join us in this endeavour. Our potential funders have indicated that we will have a greater chance of receiving a generous grant if we widen participation by aligning with other providers of care, support and greater chances in life.
St Martins and Four Corners have gathered an advisory panel to help steer the scientific, ethical and psychological aspects of the project. The panel is chaired by Simon Gibbons, Professor of Medicinal Phytochemistry and Head of Research Department at UCL. It also includes Raymond Hill, Professor of Pharmacology at Imperial, Dr Paul Dargan, Senior Toxicologist and Clinical Director at Guys Hospital, Dr Nikki Wood, Lead Psychologist and Head of Substance Misuse at East London NHS Foundation Trust and Dr Derek Tracy, Consultant Psychiatrist and Associate Clinical Director, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust.