Rochdale filmmaker's project show 'blossoming' Falinge

Danny's shorts show the positive side of Falinge

In October 2010, The Spectator called Falinge in Rochdale one of "Britain's welfare ghettos" where getting on benefits was a "definite career path".

For filmmaker Danny Lomax, it was the spur he needed to complete his "social cross platform documentary".

Danny's set of short films, made with the help of residents, seek to show the positivity he experienced in the area.

He said the Lower Falinge he found was a "diverse, colourful and cultural environment".

Falinge is a microcosm of much bigger world issues and you can really see that if you bother to spend enough time in the area Danny Lomax

Danny explained that he was asked by Rochdale Council to "provide a project which both documents life in the area and also gives information in a fun way to create interest from both inside and outside Lower Falinge."

As a result, Explore Falinge has a dual approach, with the filmmaker's shorts sitting alongside an interactive website which gives information about events and activities in the area, as well as practical advice about where to access help and support.

Danny grew up in Rochdale and had school friends from Falinge, so he jumped at the chance to get involved with the Explore Falinge project when it was offered to him by Rochdale Council.

He said that "coming back after many years, I saw it had changed a lot with colour all around."

"I could see activity around the edges and realised things were really happening in the area; I was very intrigued.

"I see a much more diverse, colourful and cultural environment from people who have settled in the area from all over the world through asylum programs."

'More to community than statistics'

He said the Falinge that he has been documenting was constantly changing and that the people he worked with were very positive in their outlooks.

The Falinge residents made films themselves using phones and small cameras

"[Falinge] has gone on to blossom in colour and activity; there are a high number of people without jobs and worklessness is an issue, but the services in the area are second to none and people are trying and making an effort to find work.

"The community realises and can second guess these days when they are going to be coming up in the media for negative things and accept that the figures do show this, but I feel and they do too that there is more to their community than statistics.

"I really did see a real sense of people looking out for and helping one another and a real sense that they know they have to make changes and work hard to make life better in the area.

"I really saw a huge change throughout the nine months I spent in the area and grew to know many of the locals."

'Extremely friendly'

Working with the residents of Falinge has been key to the project for Danny and as well as filming himself, he has run "community film workshops so the tenants can also produce their own content using mobile phone and flip cameras".

The shorts premiered at a special screening in a Rochdale cinema

He has also used online video site, YouTube, as the host for the films, so everyone involved could take part in both the production and the viewing of them.

Danny said he hoped that the project would help the area and that it was just part of what was being done, both by residents and by agencies, to help it shake off its bad publicity.

He said that he saw a lot of hope in what he experienced over the nine months of making the film.

"Like in much of Central Rochdale, there is a lot of hard work going on and I do see a positive future for the area.

"I hope that the website will encourage people to log on and get involved from both inside and outside of the area.

"I found the area, and the people there, extremely friendly and the kind of people that would do anything for you.

"The community is the most diverse it has ever been and that I think generates creativity and always has throughout history.

"Falinge is a microcosm of much bigger world issues and you can really see that if you bother to spend enough time in the area."