CITYIST

Meet Bristol actors, Kayleigh-Paige Rees and Mollie Holder

A new type of prosthetic arm – the first of its kind in the world – which has been designed to help surfers with upper body limb differences to ‘pop-up’ on their board, has proven to be an instant hit in the water. A group of limb different surfers from across the UK were invited to put the new prosthetic through its paces at a special launch event held at inland-surfing destination, The Wave, in Bristol. Named ‘Nicole’ after the individual who inspired its design, the prosthetic has been developed by UK startup Koalaa, which is on a mission to make prosthetics comfortable, affordable and accessible for anyone on the planet. After months of development and a successful trial, the tool is now available for surf fans of all ages around the world. Koalaa’s patented design sees a soft fabric sleeve being worn that can be fitted with different tool attachments, depending on the task the user would like to complete. Among the surfers taking to the waves in Bristol was Nicole Brennan, age 30, from Chichester who was born with a congenital limb difference meaning that her right arm did not fully develop before birth. She has worked closely with the team at Koalaa on the design of the new prosthetic, which has been named in her honour. Nicole is founder of The IAMPOSSIBLE Foundation, one of the only disabled-led charities for those with limb differences in the UK and which aims to create a world where ability is not defined by an individual's form or physical appearance.

special to me and my career. Bristol was where I shot my first feature film and my first lead role. I had the pleasure of meeting Mollie when we shot Sanditon in Bristol [cast as the Beaufort sisters]. I also founded my production company, Raspberry Films. The wonderful thing about Bristol is it offers so much and it is constantly evolving. Mollie: I have lived in Bristol since I was two, so it is my home and I have loved growing up here. I love the fact that at one moment you’re on a really funky road full of cute coffee shops and little vintage stores and then you’re walking along the harbourside enjoying the gorgeous view.

mockumentarycovering three very different but related families in the dreaded lockdown. Produced by Raspberry Films for Amazon Prime, the families document their lockdown lives through the unprecedented Coronavirus pandemic. When we shot the series in Autumn 2021, it was the largest cast and crew we had produced. It was a big challenge for Raspberry Films and I am so proud of the show we have created.

bridging the gap between independent filmmakers and mainstream media. The level of talented individuals in Bristol and surrounding areas is what helps and allows for production companies like ourselves to keep producing in Bristol.

company. We have expanded our team and have five projects in post-production. We are currently working on our biggest feature to date which starts shooting in Prague this winter. M: I am currently working on a really thrilling new series for Paramount+, I’m so excited about it and can’t wait for people to see it!

was my first passion from a child so having the opportunity to watch performances live gives me a buzz I can’t even explain. I also have such a love for stand-up comedy. Abi Clarke is a local standup comedian in Bristol and if I see that she is performing in Bristol you can bet I am there! M: I really love watching am-dram theatre productions; the actors’ performances are always incredible. I also love walking around the streets of Bristol and being inspired by strangers. I think that’s the best way to develop a character that you have to play, by watching other people and looking more deeply into other people’s mannerisms.

Sing and felt so inspired by the storytelling and raw performances throughout. My guilty pleasure this past month has been The Summer I Turned Pretty. I watched the series and listened to all three audiobooks within a week. I have also developed an unhealthy obsession with anything to do with the disgraced company Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes. I’ve watched every documentary, TV series, audiobook and interviews around it. M: I am currently reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I am quite late to the trend with this one, but I am really enjoying it. I am watching the new series of NeverHaveIEver, which is my guilty pleasure programme. The next thing I need to watch is EverythingI Know About Love – I’ve read the book and loved it.

dinner with Queen Elizabeth I. What a legend! I want to know everything! M: I think it would be amazing to have dinner with Audrey Hepburn because I just think she is the classiest lady. And also… Harry Styles because… who wouldn’t!

the outer world is a reflection of the inner world. Other people’s perception of you is a reflection of them; your response to them is an awareness of you. M: My philosophy in life is that you only have one so why regret things. I often have to remind myself that no one is thinking about/looking at you, everyone is too busy worrying about themselves!

(L-R) Mollie Holder and Kayleigh-Paige Rees

Bristol-based conservation charity, Wildscreen, has launched its latest flagship initiative, the inaugural Wildscreen Storytelling Internship Scheme. The scheme, which has the backing of WWF-UK, will provide paid internship opportunities for six UK-based and six internationally-based 18-25 year olds, wanting to pursue careers in natural world storytelling and content creation within the TV and conservation sectors. From Autumn 2022, 12 internationally renowned wildlife TV production companies and conservation NGOs will open their doors to aspiring storytellers and content creators, providing paid, practical experience across a variety of roles spanning camera operating to editing, from story development to scriptwriting. As well as being provided with the opportunity to gain valuable ‘hands-on’ professional skills and experience, the cohort will also benefit from one-to-one mentoring within the host organisations and oneyear’s membership to the Wildscreen Network, the world’s biggest professional community for the wildlife film and TV genre, to help launch their careers in the natural world storytelling industries.

• To find out more about the Wildscreen and WWF-UK Storytelling Internship Scheme, visit: wildscreen.org/industry/talent-schemes

Grayson by David Bailey

Be in with a chance to WIN celebrity artwork

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery is inviting art lovers everywhere to enter a prize draw to win a celebrity artwork. For just £5 per ticket, hopefuls can be entered into a prize draw with a chance to win an original artwork by: Tom Allen, David Bailey, Boy George, Harry Hill, Alex Horne, Sue Perkins, Jane Seymour, Russell Tovey, Holly Walsh or a replica artwork by Grayson Perry or Philippa Perry. The works are currently on display as part of the hugely popular Grayson’s Art Club exhibition at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, which has been visited by over 200,000 people since opening in December 2021.

Net proceeds from the prize draw will raise money for Bristol Museums Development Trust, which funds vital community projects and conservation work that bring culture, creativity, history, and art into the lives of over 1.2 million people every year. Prize draw tickets are available to purchase online at bristolmuseums.org.uk/win until 11.59pm on 23 September 2022. Full terms and conditions are available on the website.

• The Grayson’s Art Club exhibition finishes on 4 September 2022. Entry is ‘pay what you can’. The show is sponsored by UWE Bristol. Exhibition tickets are available on the door or online at bristolmuseums.org.uk/grayson

Words by Daisy Game

Every year, in the weeks leading up to the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, a series of community launches take place, giving Bristolians city-wide the chance to balloon-watch from their own gardens. After a two-year hiatus, the fiesta returned last month. We were invited along for a ride in the iconic Thatchers Cider balloon... It’s an early call time: we arrange to meet our balloon and its pilot, Nick Dunnington of First Flight Balloons, at Fishponds’ Vassals Park for 5.45am – but we’re not the only ones to have set our alarms. Children on the first days of their long-awaited summer holidays mill about between the various balloons (our ride is part of a colourful crowd) whilst fellow passengers hover excitedly next to their aircrafts. After a few minutes of preparation – each balloon must be hoisted from the ground using the air from large fans – Vassals park is transformed into a launch pad. We clamber into the Thatchers basket, grab a hold and begin our ascent. Bristol is a beauty from any vantage point – but seen from above, the city is a small wonder. We fly over a patchwork of houses and gardens; parks and high streets. Every now and then, we hear a dog barking (their sensitive ears are not a fan of the balloon’s propulsion system) or spy a family waving from the pavements below. As we drift, Nick tells us more about the rather magical world of ballooning; he comes from a long line of balloonists, first taking to the skies at just six weeks old in an aircraft piloted by his parents. He also tells us how it is good etiquette to fly with a gift on the off chance that you are forced to land in a farmer’s field. For Nick, a crate of Thatchers normally does the trick. My travelling companions all agree that hot air balloons and their pilots have some valuable life lessons to impart: to allow the wind to take you where it will; to pay more attention to the journey than to the destination. It’s a balloonist’s life for us.

• With many thanks to First Flight and Thatchers Cider for inviting us into the skies with them this year; hotair-balloonrides.co.uk, thatcherscider.co.uk