Britishness U

Eelyn Lee and a group of young writers from Sheffield go on a quest to find out the meaning of Britishness. This film explores issues of identity, race and belonging through poetry, interviews and discussions with Magid Magid, during his tenure as Lord Major of Sheffield; writer Désirée Reynolds; England footballer Kyle Walker and Sheffield’s Poet Laureate Otis Mensah, amongst others.

Britishness was commissioned by FURD (Football Unites, Racism Divides), a youth and social inclusion project and charity based in Sheffield, England.

Established in 1995, FURD works locally, nationally and internationally to combat racism and increase understanding between different communities. FURD strives to redress societal imbalances; many of which are linked to factors such as ethnicity, culture, religion and poverty.

FURD believe that sport, music and the arts have the potential to bring people together and add social value to society. Their working model has been community-focused, bringing change on the ground. They have constantly been developing ideas tackling racism at grassroots and educating young people and the wider community about racism. FURD aims to offer a holistic approach to community development that is focussed on building more cohesive, connected, communities and enables/empowers individuals and communities to shape their own destiny.

The film raises many issues for debate and will make a great educational tool for facilitating discussions and workshops; both in schools and more informal education settings. Details of other opportunities to see the film and how to access it to use with groups will be available soon from Football Unites Racism Divides.