WATCH: Short film created to promote Compton Care fundraising drive
A new short film is highlighting a hospice charity's urgent need to raise funds in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
Wolverhampton-based Stone's Throw Media has made the short video for the Compton Care charity in the city, which has been left with a £2.4 million hole in its finances as a result of the pandemic.
The charity now expects this figure to rise as a result of the second lockdown.
Stone’s Throw Media, which built on their longstanding partnership with Compton, has put together a short film entitled A Christmas Like No Other which uses a mix of video and animation to explain how the charity is helping both people facing terminal illness as well as those who have recently been bereaved.
The video features community events manager for Compton Care, Kate Kelly, who talks about how the charity will be celebrating Christmas with new-found determination.
See the video here:
“We are determined to be here for our community this Christmas and for as long a time as possible,” she says in the film.
In October the charity launched an appeal to recover some of the financial losses caused through the closure of its shops and cancellation of fundraising activity.
Activities include a new “virtual” advent calendar for businesses, as well as the Light Up A Life appeal supported by the Express & Star, where people can sponsor a light on the Christmas tree at Compton in memory of a loved one, and also see their name appear in a special edition of the newspaper.
With charity shops closed, Compton Care is running an online store and Ebay shop, as well as a £3,000 prize draw.
Lydia Willetts, digital marketing officer for Compton Care, said: “We know how much of a positive difference our services can make to so many lives, so we wanted to put across our message in an engaging way.
“It has been a very difficult year for our entire organisation so it helps that we have a longstanding relationship with Stone’s Throw Media, who understand our services and are able to consistently deliver creative messages to reach our target audiences.”
Stone's Throw has been working with Compton Care since 2016, and previously produced the acclaimed Straight Outta Compton gangsta rap spoof which proved a became an online sensation.
The company also produced an information video for the charity about lymphoedema which has been watched more than 36,000 times on YouTube.
Stone’s Throw founder Mike Chinn also hosted a series of online virtual quizzes alongside Compton’s fundraising team which helped raise around £25,000 during the first lockdown.
He said: “We have had a long-term working relationship with Compton Care, so we were pleased to be able to help put their message across in a positive and creative way.
“Their message that they will leave nobody alone in their time of need, nor will they leave them with nowhere to turn, will mean a lot to those affected after such a tough year.”
Animator Jamie Cartwright, who worked on the project, added: “It was an animation that required punch, to drive home such a strong message around what Compton wants to achieve.
“When we planned the scenes we had to include a sense of realism for the families and the hard times they could be going through but to make the art style nice and bright so as to avoid it being too gloomy. It was a pleasure for myself, Preeti Johal and the wider team to collaborate on this project for a brilliant organisation.”
Operating for more than 35 years, Compton Care are billed as “leaders in palliative care”. Supporting patients and their families at their 18-bedroom inpatient unit, Compton Care aim to “empower” service users to “take charge of life, on your terms”.
For more information on Compton Care’s Christmas campaign, click here
