A FILM about the Fens by Abbey College students has been premiered at the school.

A year in the making, Memories from the Fen includes student interviews with local people and dramatisations of their stories.

Working with a professional film-maker, Peter Harmer from Stories in Film, alongside the Great Fen community team, the students re-enacted local memories, including wartime dances with the Americans, harvesting potatoes by hand and scenes of days gone by at the Rothschild Bungalow in Woodwalton Fen.

The students were involved in everything in the film-making process, from writing their own interview questions, to sound recording, working the cameras and acting.

Carrie, an Abbey College drama student said: “It was really interesting to learn about life in the fens during the 1930s, 40s and 50s. One of the scenes I had to re-enact for the film was planting young celery plants in the field on my hands and knees – I could not have done that in real life!”

Classmate Nikki said: “It was great fun taking part in the re-enactment scenes for the film and I met some wonderful people with great stories to tell.”

Emma Cox, Great Fen community officer said: “The students have worked incredibly hard and the results are amazing. We’d particularly like to thank all the people in the community who shared their stories with us.

“There has also been some extraordinary archive footage donated to us for use in the film, including video of the large copper butterfly, which is now extinct in the UK.”

This film project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Great Fen partners including the Environment Agency, Huntingdonshire District Council, Middle Level Commissioners, Natural England and the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

INFORMATION: The DVDs will be available in the spring for a suggested donation of �5, with any proceeds going to the Wildlife Trust. If you would like more information or would like to pre-order a copy, please do get in touch with the Great Fen team on 01487 710420, call info@greatfen.org.uk or visit www.greatfen.org.uk.