How Strike For Freedom: Frederick Douglass in Scotland came about

After hearing an amazing talk on Frederick Douglass by Professor Celeste Marie Bernier and realising a Douglass plaque was to be unveiled in Edinburgh I suggested at the end of the talk that I film the plaque unveiling. It was exciting to hear Professor Bernier enthusiastically agree and excellent to receive the support and funding from Edinburgh University and AHRC. It was a privilege to be present at this event and to interview leading US civil rights activists who had made the special trip to this event.

What was to be a 5 minute film became a 15minute film because of all the rich stories about Douglass in Scotland and his family in the USA. Strike For Freedom: Frederick Douglass in Scotland was successfully launched at the University of Edinburgh Playfair Library on the 14th October 2019.

Channel 4 News Sexual Harassment in Co-working Spaces

Co-working spaces have been burgeoning throughout the UK and abroad. But Urquhart Media has found that a key aspect of these spaces that has minimal regulations is security vetting the people who join. There have been numerous incidents of sexual harassment in these spaces that our Channel 4 News report exposes, and an even poorer complaints procedure when it happens. This is forcing many women to re-think what spaces they join and look out all-female spaces.

Channel 4 News Scotland's Secret Slavery

So glad to receive the support of the Channel 4 News Film Fund and the Channel 4 News team who commissioned a 5minute film on the debate surrounding wording on the plaque of the Melville Monument in Edinburgh. The film was shown on their Sunday evening news programme, which attracts their highest viewing figures of the week, and I am told it triggered a good debate within the newsroom after its screening!