A Q&A with the This is Our Time film squad

Meet the squad

This summer we’ve been touring The Golden Years Caravan, a roving cinema and art gallery featuring a series of ambitious artworks which confront common perceptions of ageing and retirement.

The Golden Years Caravan is a celebration of the curiosity, creativity and culture of Greater Manchester’s ‘golden generation’ and shares stories of what it’s really like to grow older in Greater Manchester in 2019.

Inside The Golden Years Caravan audiences are invited to watch This is Our Time, a short film made by Thirty Pound Gentleman and neighbours from Manchester Cares.

Manchester Cares is a community network of young professionals and older neighbours hanging out and helping one another in a rapidly changing city. Manchester Cares aims to reduce isolation and loneliness amongst older people and young professionals alike. It  seeks to improve the connection, confidence, skills, resilience and power of all participants so neighbours can feel part of our changing city rather than left behind by it.

We were fortunate to work with a brilliant team of older neighbours from the Manchester Cares network to help make our short film, This is Our Time with Thirty Pound Gentleman. We’ve had a blast getting to know them and thought you would to, so we sat down over a nice brew and biscuits and had a good chinwag with the squad. Enjoy…

Ged

A portrait of Ged an elder white man.

Describe Yourself in 3 words

 Outgoing, jovial and hopeful

What do you love to do/ are passionate about ?

Music (DJ) + large music DVDs, radio show
collection dancing, motor sport commentator joining- in activities

What do you hope to achieve in the future?

 To continue being active and “young at heart”

What is the best thing about growing older?

 Experience (and gaining more) learning new skills, meeting new people

What song gets you up and dancing?

I love to love, Tina Charles

Gloria

Describe Yourself in 3 words

 Happy Gorgeous, Jolly

 What do you love to do/ are passionate about ?

 Dance to music, going out socialising, cooking

What do you hope to achieve in the future?

 Become a Hollywood star

 What gets you up and dancing?

 Reggae music!

Gloria, an elder black woman, sits laughing doing crafts in a tent at The Golden Years Caravan.

Rosetta

Rosetta, an older white woman, stands posing for a photo with friend Ged.

Describe Yourself in 3 words

 Artistic, active, enthusiastic

 What do you love to do/ are passionate about ?

Art, podcasting, writing, organising events, climate change education and activism

What do you hope to achieve in the future?

Make a lasting change the lives of people in Batti village, Gambia. Sustainable development matters.

What is the best thing about growing older?

 Freedom to be all that I want to be, to do all I want to do, to set goals, learn and grow, be the real me.

What song gets you up and dancing?

 Snap- You got the Power

Jim

Describe Yourself in 3 words

Old, deaf and blind… ha ha. Serious answer- I am artistic

What do you love to do/ are passionate about ?

Art. Drawing.

What do you hope to achieve in the future?

To keep going, to stay alive.

What is the best thing about growing older?

I’ve been happier, it has given me a sort of freedom, to speak my mind without fear, to be honest.

What song gets you up and dancing?

 Dancing In the Dark- Bruce Springsteen

Jim, an elder white man, sits looking over film shots.

Francesca

Francesca sits making notes during a film planning session.

Describe Yourself in 3 words

 Outgoing, Active, Cheerful

 What do you love to do/ are passionate about ?

 Meeting different kinds of people, learning from the people I meet, learning new things. And singing.

What is the best thing about growing older?

Peace of mind, don’t have to be told what to do, make my own decisions.

 What song gets you up and dancing?

My Girl- Otis Reading 

Edward

Describe Yourself in 3 words

Striving for something better

What do you love to do/ are passionate about ?

Read, write and socialise

What do you hope to achieve in the future?

Acquiring a good name

What is the best thing about growing older?

Listening and benefiting from others

What gets you up and dancing?

Seeing other people happy

A group of elders sit at a large table plotting out their film This is Our Time.

The Golden Years Caravan trailer

Now you know all about the This is Our Time film squad, check out The Golden Years Caravan film!

Click here to watch the film