Sponsored by Cambridge City Council and Bidwells, the project will see retailers and businesses showing a film that has been made by local amateur and professional filmmakers, including school children, to showcase the city’s love affair with cycling.
The film is provided to local businesses for them to show on any public or staff screens that they have within their businesses with a view to linking the business community in celebration of the arrival of the Tour de France.
The first to sign up is John Lewis, who will be displaying the film in its shop frontage. Other local organisations are also encouraged to get involved with the project both as a way of sharing in the city’s Tour de France celebration and also helping them to fulfil their community partner role by providing a 'channel' for the budding local artists and film makers.
The 15 minute work is a collection of film, artwork and still footage that plays in a loop and tracks the Tour from its start on Parker’s Piece along the rest of the route through the city interweaving with other historical imagery along the way to showcase the city’s passion for cycling.
Cllr Richard Johnson, Executive Councillor for Community, Arts and Recreation, said:
“We are delighted that John Lewis has signed up for this exciting project. We look forward to other companies and organisations getting involved over the coming weeks to show the film and to offer an arts platform for some of the local filmmaking talent in the city.”
Speaking about the project, Richard Pilsworth, Head of Cambridge Office, Bidwells said:
“Our dream is to create a city-wide digital link between all Cambridge organisations - from big multinationals and national leaders, to local retailers, SMEs and places where our communities meet.”
Commenting for John Lewis, Dominic Joyce, Head of Branch, said:
“This is a great project to celebrate the visit of the Tour de France to Cambridge and, having seen some of the artwork included in the film, I’m delighted that John Lewis Cambridge is involved. It will certainly give our customers a great deal of pleasure.”
Companies that wish to get involved with the project should contact Stuart Grainger at Cambridge City Council on 01223 457483 or stuart.grainger@cambridge.gov.uk for a copy of the DVD (also available in other formats as required). Companies must have their own screens available.
______________________________________