Herefordshire’s Huntley Film Archives has been awarded the title of Company of the Year at the annual industry awards in London. The 20th annual FOCAL International Awards were held on June 15 at the prestigious De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London.
The event, hosted by the talented comedian Ed Byrne, celebrated excellence in the audiovisual industry, honouring remarkable achievements in production, restoration & preservation, and personnel.
Huntley Film Archives, also celebrating its 40th birthday this year, was recognised as one of the world’s leading and growing film collections, exceeding 80,000 individual titles dating from the earliest days of film.
Managing Director Amanda Huntley said: “We are delighted and proud to receive such an accolade from our peers in the industry for our dedication to preserving and making accessible filmed history”.
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The collection is a treasure trove and window into an otherwise lost world.
An invaluable resource for film and TV production companies in the UK and overseas, Huntley Film Archives material frequently appears on our TV screens via broadcasters such as the BBC and Netflix in news items, documentaries and feature films.
Footage supplied by the company will have been seen in several recent tributes to Queen Elizabeth II, and also in documentaries such as in ‘Simon Schama’s History of Now’ and entertainment programmes like ‘Long Lost Family’.
The library supplies film for use in museums, corporate promotional videos, advertising, websites, and for cinematic release of documentaries about leading sports stars, notably Diego Maradona, and bands including the Rolling Stones.
Huntley Film Archives is the largest independently owned film archive in the country. It continues to grow with 10 to 20 new films being scanned daily to HD and made available for commercial users to pay to access and for the public to view free of charge via the website.
The company has been keen to expand into more overseas markets and has attended tradeshows in France, Germany and the U.S.A. and visited national film archives in Asia. These visits have brought Huntley Film Archives to the attention of producers and researchers new to the company.
Huntley Film Archives is based in the village of Ewyas Harold. The collections of 16mm and 35mm film are housed in purpose-built vaults on site.
The company plans to expand and create additional storage vaults in the buildings on site. This will involve major investment but at the end of the process this small company in rural Herefordshire will house collections to rival those of the biggest names in the industry.
A drink driver who caused “catastrophic” injuries to a passenger while speeding away from police has been jailed. Matthew Clark, 31, is believed to have reached speeds of up to 100mph during the early hours of March 13, 2022, before crashing into a tree in West London.
One of his passengers, Sasha Priestley, has been paralysed from the waist down as a result of the collision, while two other passengers were also taken to hospital. Clark himself suffered “life-limiting” injuries and has developed a swallowing problem as well as cognitive difficulties and requires consistent medical treatment.
Appearing on Monday, May 22 at Isleworth Crown Court with the aid of crutches, he was jailed for 28 months after previously pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
The court heard that Clark had driven his girlfriend, his brother James and James' partner, Ms Priestley, in his Volkswagen Golf to a boxing match earlier that Saturday evening. CCTV showed Clark ordering drinks at the bar before drinking a pint of Amstel, and is later seen ordering more drinks for the group.
The group of four travelled onwards to The Shamrocks pub in Slough at 9.50pm, where they consumed a number of alcoholic drinks. Clark could be seen dancing at the bar and ordering drinks for himself and his friends, while another CCTV clip showed him appearing unsteady while exiting the doorway.
At 12.56am, police officers in a marked vehicle witnessed Clark’s VW Golf pulling out at speed behind a van in an “aggressive manner”. Believing it to possibly be involved in a spate of local thefts, they pursued it and blocked it after Clark came to a stop at a red traffic light.
While initially cooperative in turning off his engine, Clark changed his attitude when they asked for his car keys and mounted the kerb before making away at speed. Over the following minute and a half, Clark reached speeds of between 90mph and 100mph in a police pursuit near residential properties before crossing a bridge and crashing into trees on Iver Lane in Uxbridge.
Ms Priestley was taken via helicopter to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington with injuries that were described as “not only life-changing but truly catastrophic in both a physical and psychological sense”. She underwent abdominal and spinal surgery and spent five days in the intensive care unit, and has undergone multiple operations over the last year which has taken her away from her children.
'My freedom has been taken away'
As a result of her spinal cord injury, she has no bladder or bowel sensation and is paralysed from the waist downwards. In her victim impact statement, summarised to the court, she "described how at times of self reflection she has become frustrated and overwhelmed at how much of her freedom has been taken away from her”.
Meanwhile, Clark was also rushed to hospital with a traumatic brain injury as well as complex trauma to the larynx and airway, a fracture and dislocation of the left femoral head and multiple bilateral rib fractures. He since struggles with a swallowing problem and is more prone to choking, and suffers from anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
It was noted at the time of the collision that he had not been wearing a seatbelt. His partner and his brother also suffered injuries. Speaking in Clark’s defence, Eloise Emanuel said that her client was “tortured by the guilty and the pain of the suffering he caused to those in the car, who were his loved ones”.
He is now only able to walk short distances with a crutch and is characterised as a “vulnerable adult” with his mum describing him as “somewhat of a recluse”. The court heard that “in an extraordinary act of kindness and bravery”, Ms Priestley, who remains a part of Clark’s close-knit family, has forgiven him for his actions.
Despite Ms Emanuel’s request to suspend his prison sentence due to his remorse and ill health, he was jailed for 28 months and must serve at least half before being released. Clark, of Littlehampton, West Sussex has also been disqualified from driving for four years upon his release and must take an extended retest.
Phillip Schofield has been pictured in public for the first time in weeks. The former This Morning presenter, 61, has been hiding away in Cornwall, preparing to celebrate his mum's birthday, after his affair on the ITV set was exposed.
He appeared clutching his vape and wallet with a black leather bag over his shoulder, wearing a blue T-shirt and off-white shorts, and matching blue and white Converse trainers.
Phillip stepped down from ITV and was dropped by his agent after he admitted to an affair with a younger ITV employee. Since then, he has stayed away from the spotlight but has now broken cover during an outing.
He has been away in Cornwall for some time (Image: CLICK NEWS AND MEDIA)
Body-language expert Judi James told The Mirror : "There are deep furrows etched on his forehead and deep grooves down either side of his mouth. His face looks jowly from side view but that’s possibly a result of the weight he said he had dropped since the drama started.
"But otherwise Schofield looks tanned and relatively relaxed here, like a man who has taken what must be his first break from work in several decades."
He sported a summery blue and white outfit (Image: CLICK NEWS AND MEDIA)
She added: "We’re so used to seeing the signature Schofield perky smile on our screens that an unsmiling Philip does look dramatically dour but, despite the lip clamp, his one raised brow and the micro-curve of his lips suggests a good humoured response to the person he is with.
"There’s no sign of tension in his shoulders or his legs but, in a nod to his previously busy professional lifestyle, he seems to be clutching his phone, keys and what looks like the ever-present vape we saw him using in his interviews, all in the one hand."
A police investigation into 'secret Chinese police stations' in London has now concluded “no criminal activity” has taken place. The Croydon man whose business was the alleged location of one of the stations said he now wants to 'clear his name' and forget about the 'rumours'.
The offices of All Eat App on the High Street was one of two locations in London listed by NGO Safeguard Defenders as an 'overseas service stations for police and overseas Chinese affairs'.
Concerns about the address were raised in parliament twice after press reports of the allegations. The Metropolitan Police started investigating the claims in November but has now said no further action will be taken.
Ruiyou Lin, the owner of All Eat App, has always protested his innocence. Last month, he told MyLondon and the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) the ‘police’ connection has been misunderstood after a video showed him in front of a blue banner that appears to be nearly identical to one those arrested in New York were pictured beside.
He claims he has only helped Chinese citizens re-apply for their driver’s licence.
All Eat App's office is in North End (Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon)
Speaking about the completion of the police investigation Mr Lin said: “It is all rumours. For me personally, I have had to deal with this for nine months. I checked in with my GP and I have lost 9.6 kilos, it has had a very bad impact.
“These rumours [have impacted] my company and I want to clear my name now. I don’t want anyone coming to harass me and let me and my business become the UK’s number one delivery company.
“I am British and pay my tax in the UK. My business has gone down and my investor has pulled out.”
A Met Police spokesperson told the LDRS: “In November 2022, we were made aware of a report by an NGO alleging the presence of Chinese ‘overseas police service stations’ in various countries, including two here in London.
“Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command have been assessing this matter to establish whether there is any potential unlawful activity that may require further investigation.
“As a result of these enquiries, no illegal or criminal activity has been identified and no further action will be taken. However, should any new information be brought to our attention or come to light, then this of course, will be assessed and dealt with as appropriate.
“We work closely with partners and communities to identify any repressive activity by foreign states in London and the UK, and will seek to disrupt this activity where possible.”
Jordan Hellyer died last Wednesday (June 14) after emergency services were called to Chisel Close, in the Moor Farm area of the city.
Two ambulances, a paramedic officer and the Midland Air Ambulance from Strensham all attended the scene at 3.15pm, with Mr Hellyer given advanced life support.
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This continued on the way to Worcester Royal Hospital, but sadly the keen sportsman could not be saved.
"Jord was an uncle to three children, a brother and a partner to his girlfriend for 12 years," said Josh Dempster, Mr Hellyer's brother.
"He was a keen footballer and worked as a rope access engineer and had the most amazing friends imaginable.
"We have just had news from the autopsy that his heart was blocked by fat in his arteries, despite him being 28 and very fit.
"I would like to put a message out from me, his brother, for people to have their cholesterol checked regularly."
A man has pleaded guilty to displaying threatening or abusive writing likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress after wearing a football shirt at Wembley Stadium which made an offensive reference to the Hillsborough disaster.
James White, 33, of Warwickshire, admitted the charge at Willesden Magistrates’ Court in North West London on Monday.
The court heard that at the FA Cup Final on June 3 he wore a Manchester United shirt which had the number 97 and the words “Not Enough” on the back.
Ninety-seven football fans died as a result of a crush at a match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield on April 15 1989.
Manchester City won the FA Cup at Wembley, beating local rivals Manchester United 2-1.
A man who's been to Glastonbury 15 times in a row has shared his top tips - including where to shower and how to navigate the toilets. Dan Thomas has been to every festival since 2002 and is heading to Worthy Farm to see the Arctic Monkeys and Elton John next week.
He says Wednesday is the best day to arrive. He also recommended using the showers in the kids' field, never camping next to a path, and always choosing a compost loo over a long drop.
His must-pack item is an s-shaped hook to keep his bag off the floor in the toilets. He also suggested never leaving the site on a Monday lunchtime.
Glastonbury is one of the largest outdoor festivals in the world (Image: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
The content creator from London said: "I personally think having a shower is one the best ways you can start your day. If you've had a long tiring day as you will at Glastonbury it makes you feel like a million dollars.
"There are six ways to get a shower there. There's a single gender free communal shower and free cubicle showers in the kids field.
"If you're in a glamping site they will have them, but if you're not shy there's a naked sauna and campfire on site which you can pay £15 to go into and they have showers. Other options are using a solar powered shower or a rechargeable USB pump shower or you can effectively sponge bath with a large Tupperware box."
Dan added: "In terms of toilets there are several different kinds. There's long-drops which are essentially cubicle seats over a large box. They're open air so people can see the top of your head but there's ventilation which is good.
"There's female urinals and compost toilets too. My advice would be to skip the long drops and head for the compost toilets.
"People are put off them because they smell like portaloos but once your inside they're bigger, deeper and generally less smelly because the compost has a neutralising smell."
When it comes to making sure you have a good weekend, Dan insists the preparation begins weeks before. He has made a list of 50 essential things people should bring to the festival, including an 'S' hook to avoid putting your belongings on the toilet floor and a four wheel trolley.
Dan recommended heading for the compost toilets (Image: SWNS)
He also encouraged festival-goers to bring plenty of their own snacks, but to also enjoy the "amazing" food on sale there. He said: "People don't realise that Glastonbury is the only festival that you can bring all your own food and drink everywhere with you - it just can't be in glass.
"The biggest way to save money is to bring it all yourself. I always bring cereal bars, Peperami and pitta breads with some peanut butter as they all hold together well.
"I rarely buy drinks there but a pint is around £6. I would say though that Glastonbury has some of the best food around - so definitely try a stall or two if you can."
In terms of camping, the most important criteria is to not settle "at the bottom of a hill, near a path or next to the toilets." Once the festival is in full swing, Dan confirms it's "impossible" to see the whole site but urges people to "not be lazy" and explore.
He said: "Although Glastonbury is the best music festival in the world, it's also the best place to do just about anything else. Some people treat it as a food festival, some people treat it as a cultures festival.
Dan has been to Glastonbury 15 times (Image: Dan Thomas/SWNS)
"No single individual person will see all of Glastonbury - not even the owners. It can be easy to feel intense FOMO because there's always something going on but the most important thing is to follow your gut and do what you want to do.
"The first year I went right to the front of the pyramid stage and it was amazing, but now I don't mind popping in and out. Glastonbury is logistically very hard work. Once your on the inside, of course don't be lazy, but if you need to take a nap or have an early night do it.
"No matter what you'll do you'll have the best time." Once the fun is over, Dan says the worst time to leave the site is Monday around lunchtime.
He once spent 16 hours travelling from the car park to his home in London - 12 of these being spent getting out of the car park. He added: "Either leave very early or late on Monday, but don't try and tackle the middle.
Dan urged attendees to leave nothing behind (Image: ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)
"Most importantly, love the farmer, leave no trace. If you feel tempted to leave things behind, don't. There are plenty of bins on site and make sure you take your tent with you."
Dan's full list of Glastonbury tips are: 1. Make a packing list weeks before you go 2. Bring an 'S' hook so you can hang up your belongings in the toilet 3. Get to the site as close to Wednesday morning as possible 4. Don't attempt to see the entire festival - go with your gut and rest if you need to 5. Get a shower at one of the two free showers, pay to use the naked sauna ones or bring your own portable shower 6. Take plenty of food and snacks - including pita bread, cereal bars and peanut butter 7. Remember you can bring your own alcohol anywhere on the site. 8. Don't attempt to leave on Monday around lunchtime 9. Use the compost toilets over the others if you can
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The yellow weather warning, which comes into force at noon today (June 18) covers almost the entirety of England and Wales, and will remain in force until midnight tonight.
The Met Office said a few outbreaks of thundery rain are possible during the morning, but heavy showers and thunderstorms are likeliest during the afternoon and evening, with longer spells of thundery rain in places.
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The rain may miss some areas, but others could see 30 mm within an hour, and a few places could see 60 to 80 mm within three to six hours, forecasters said.
Frequent lightning, strong winds, and hail are also possible, the Met Office said.
Forecasters said while there is some uncertainty over which areas will be worst hit, areas from London northwards across the Midlands, eastern England, east Wales and southern areas of northern England seem most likely to see disruption.
