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Performing Arts Stewart Graham Lee Stewart Graham Lee ​ Stewart Graham Lee (b. 5 April 1968) is a British stand-up comedian, writer and director. Lee was born in Wellington, Shropshire. He was adopted as a child and grew up in Solihull in the West Midlands– his adoptive parents separated when he was four, and he was raised by his mother. He attended Solihull School, a local independent school, on a part scholarship, and received what he calls a "waifs and strays bursary" due to his status as an adoptee. He read English at Oxford. In December 2011, he won British Comedy Awards for best male television comic and best comedy entertainment programme for his series Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle. External Website

News - broadcast, print, internet, magazine articles Who the hell is Edgar?' - a viral Eurovision song about Edgar Allan Poe evokes a strange history of mediums and creative possession The Conversation 2023 This is a fascinating article about the ongoing relevance of Care Experienced Writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), not only as the initiator (many say) of the detective fiction genre. Hannah Murray, University of Melbourne, tells us about Austrian singers Teya and Salena—they will represent Austria at the Eurovision Song Context this year in Liverpool—who say their song writing talent is a result of being possessed by Poe. Murray goes on to say there is a long tradition of such “possession”. She gives the example of a group of “young female spiritualists” who, “in the 1850s and 1860s…wrote and published poetry from the “spirit of Edgar A. Poe”. Hannah Murray concludes with a discussion about Poe’s fascination with human consciousness surviving death, long before the “spiritualist boom” from the late 19th century. External Website

Films/Videos Resistance ​ 2020 Resistance was inspired by French actor Marcel Marceu's work during WWII taking orphaned Jewish children out of Nazi-occupied France. It is said that he was directly involved in the safe removal of 100s of children and that 1000s were saved. External Website

Films/Videos Little Women (film) ​ 2019 Little Women is a movie starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, and Florence Pugh. Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters - four young women, each determined to live life on her own... Neighbour and friend to the March sisters is Laurie, or Theordore Laurence, a teenage boy who is living with his wealthy grandfather. External Website

Non Fiction East West Street Philippe Sands ​ In East West Street (2016) Philippe Sands tells how 2 Jewish men came up with the terms "crimes against humanity" and "genocide" which were then used in the 1945-1946 Nuremberg trials. Along the way, we find out that Philippe’s grandfather was in kinship care as a teenager for several years after WWI, and his mother, born in 1938, was taken from Vienna to Paris in 1939 by a stranger, a woman who was determined to save Jewish babies. External Website

Films/Videos Speak Out 1986 ​ 2020 It led to the National Assn Young People In Care policies that went before parliament and impacted heavily on the Children's Act 1989. Poduced, Directed by Sean Geoghegan. Sean Geoghegan was a founding member and development Officer National Assn Young People In Care and grew up in the care of Islington Council. A professional care experienced person. External Website

News - broadcast, print, internet, magazine articles Orphans in Kids' Movies: Let's Stop Going There Jeff Alexander 2011 Parental separation makes for a great plot point, but try telling that to a parent of an adopted child External Website

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Films/Videos Trade Secrets 1: Maria Amidu on making a living and working internationally ​ 2012 Maria Amidu talks about her practice as a socially engaged artist - walking, talking and making something. External Website

Films/Videos Stormbreaker ​ 2006 Stormbreaker (2006) is the first adaption of Anthony Horowitz's novel series, Alex Rider. Teenage Alex is living in kinship care with his uncle. When uncle Ian dies, Alex finds out his unclde was an MI6 agent who was murdered. Alex is then recruit to the Special Operations Division of MI6, is sent for training and is sent off on his first mission to investigate a billionaire who is donating computer systems code to UK schools. External Website

Films/Videos Mesmerized ​ 1986 Mesmerized is a 1986 film starring Jodie Foster and John Lithgow. Set in early 20th century New Zealand, the story begins with a baby being dropped off at a Foundling Hospital by her grandfather. 18 years later, Victoria (Jodie Foster) agrees to marry businessman Oliver Thompson (John Lithgow). Because she is not yet 'of age', Victoria is sent to school. Unhappy soon after she is reunited with Oliver, Victoria runs away with Oliver's youngest brother, George (Dan Shor). After Victoria is returned home, she is told that George has died. As Oliver suffers from poisoning (initially caused when he's killing rats), Victoria soothes him with mesmerism and cholorform. She is charged with his murder but is acquitted. Mesmerised is apparently loosely based on the Pimlico Mystery wherein Adelaide Bartlett is acquitted of the murder of her husband in London https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimlico_Mystery External Website

News - broadcast, print, internet, magazine articles Ellie Simmonds on finding her birth mother: ‘During this journey I cried so much’ by Emine Saner Ellie Simmonds 2023 Eleanor May Simmonds, OBE (born 11 November 1994[1]) is a British former Paralympian swimmer. Simmonds, who has achondroplasia, became interested in swimming at the age of five. She won gold medals in the 100m and 400m freestyle events at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing.She was adopted at 3 months and this article tells of the journey to find her birth mum. External Website

Films/Videos The Last Daughter ​ 2022 The Last Daughter (2022) is a documentary exploring Brenda Matthews' journey of disconnection and reconciliation. Brenda has memories of growing up in a white foster family before she was removed and returned to her Aboriginal family. From the website: "Along the way she uncovers long-buried secrets, government lies, and the possibility for deeper connections to family and culture. The Last Daughter is a documentary about Brenda’s journey to unearth the truth about her past, and to reconcile the two sides of her family." External Website

Films/Videos The Rise of Skywalker ​ 2019 The final episode of the 9-part "Skywalker saga", featuring Rey, an orphan character. External Website

Non Fiction Lost Children of the Empire (Routledge Library Editions: The British Empire) Philip Bean & Joy Melville 1989 This is the story of an inhuman chapter in Britain's history. Between 1860 and 1930 some 130,000 children were shipped off to parts of the British Empire and forgotten. It was a cheap way of emptying homes and populating the colonies. Many were subjected to cruelty, with names changed, records withheld and brought up to believe that they were orphans. But the shocking part of the story is that it did not end in the 1930s. After World War II, some 10,000 children were transported to Australia with the last batch going as late as 1967. The book looks at the remarkable story of the Child Migrants Trust set up in 1987 to trace relations and help both sides of the family come to terms with what happened. External Website

Performing Arts Li Cunxin (dancer) Li Cunxin ​ Li Cunxin was taken from his family in rural China at the age of 11. For 7 years he lived away from his family in Beijing and trained for 16 hours a day at a dance academy. As a young man, he was offered an opportunity as an exchange student and performed for the Houston Ballet in Texas, United States and decided not to return to China. In 1995, Li Cunxin moved with his Australian born wife, Mary McKendry, to Australia and was the principal ballet dancer for the Australian Ballet. External Website

Films/Videos Where the Crawdads Sing (film) ​ 2022 Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) is a film adaptation of Delia Owens’ novel of the same name. A dead body, that of Chase Andrews is found, and the outsider in the local community, Kyra, is accused of murder. Kyra has long been considered a suspicious character because she has been living on her own since the age of 7. She survives by selling mussels at the local store, and the Black couple there, Mabel and “Jumpin” Madison, help out where they can. Over the years, her friend Tate Walker teaches Kyra to read and lends her books. He encourages her to send her beautiful nature paintings to a publisher. Chase Andrews begins hanging around Kyra and while she initially enjoys the company, she threatens to kill him when he attempts to rape her. A local fisherman hears the threat and Kyra is charged with murder. External Website

Non Fiction Steering the Mothership: The Complexities of Mothering Lisa Cherry 2014 What if you didn't get the mother you wanted? What if you weren't able to be the mother you planned to be? The stories in this book illustrate the real-life complexities of motherhood. They help every reader to understand their own journey, both as a child and as a mother, and help them investigate the single relationship that affects us most throughout our lives, whether it has been a positive or a negative experience. This book is essential reading for anyone trying to understand this profound relationship, especially those working in Early Years Development, Social Work or Education. Most importantly, from both a personal and professional perspective, Steering the Mothership will help every reader to develop compassion, for themselves and for others. Includes chapters from authors with care experience. External Website

News - broadcast, print, internet, magazine articles An evening with your life your story Amanda Knowles 2021 This poetry led discussion explores the experiences of children raised in the care of the state and their caregivers, the impact of abuse and the importance of truth. External Website