www.afect.org.uk

There is in the U.K. a great wealth of creative young people, mostly in their late twenties, who, having moved on from further education, have reached a stage in their first careers when they decide they want to learn about film-making.

But the problem is often that they cannot afford to go on full-time courses, and yet stand no chance whatever of getting a grant, partly because, sadly, L.E.A. grant aid for courses in film, drama, etc, is always discretionary, and seldom forthcoming.

So the need exists for high-quality part-time courses in serious professional film-making, enabling the student to continue to work in her or his day job, whilst becoming fully committed to the course.

Jeremy Ross' AFECT course uniquely and successfully fulfills this very specific need, and does so, moreover, at an affordable price, unlike some other part-time courses in London.

A measure of AFECT's success is that ex-students now crop up here and there in the film industry, and if the quality of the work produced on the course itself is anything to go by, this can only increase.

Jeremy's achievement is considerable, but he does need serious financial support, as to achieve funds by raising his fees, which he could quite easily do, would be to default on one of his most fundamental principles.

AFECT is a charity which, without question, deserves serious financial assistance, and I unreservedly support any application for such aid, and would urge any organisation able to help AFECT to do so.

MIKE LEIGH OBE

Patron Mike Leigh's statement (PDF)