When Covid restrictions meant we couldn’t get together face to face, we didn’t let that ruin our fun!
Alongside our long time partners at Peabody Trust and a group of EEA Trainee Producers from the local area, we regrouped and shifted to the online world as a way to reach out to and celebrate the community of Thamesmead… and so TEMO TV was born!
TEMO TV, named for a local affectionate name for Thamesmead, was a weekly community broadcast show created and transmitted during Lockdown that featured scores of local talent.
As well as tapping into existing connections we held open calls on Zoom for Thamesmead locals to get in touch if they had a skill or art form they wanted to share and we were inundated. Our dedicated production team with the help of Halo Productions were able to guide a host of people to self-record their instructional videos so that we were able to comply with government guidance at the time, which were then slickly edited into the final episodes released weekly for 5 weeks during a time when we needed to feel connected more than ever.
Each episode featured some amazing Thamesmead Talent from incredible poets penning odes to the area, local people and businesses showing us how to cook their favourite recipes, learning the latest viral dance moves and outdoor workout routines, amazing musicians, a tour of Thamesmead, craft activities to adorn our windows right the way through to a Lockdown Variety segment and even Laughing Yoga!
Our trainee producers got a taste of a real time moving project as we adjusted to the restrictions without losing any of the fun or experience, continuing sessions over Zoom and even presenting some of the episodes.
As restrictions relaxed and we were able to hold socially distanced events outside, we successfully held the live community festival 'The Big Picnic' at Birchmere Park in Thamesmead, with some of the trainees getting their first chance to programme live acts. Some stars of TEMO TV even popped up in person and the afternoon finale was a huge socially distanced boogie!
Through a challenging time the resilience of the people of Thamesmead was really captured and showcased by this project, money pushed back into the community by featuring local artists, businesses and residents and a little bit of joy spread to every single viewer.
Read more about our Trainee Producers Programme
Check the gallery below for some photos of the Big Picnic
(Photo credit: Paul Upward)
Gallery
