A spectacular evening of fun and entertainment was had by all when the Suffolk Stop Smoking Oscars pilot project took centre stage at Ipswich Cineworld last night, 13th May 2010.

Suffolk Smoke Free Alliance teamed up with Healthy Ambitions Suffolk earlier this year to launch a project designed to spread the stop smoking message and give the county’s year 9 and 10 pupils the chance to make their own short film about tobacco.

More than ninety students from Suffolk and Waveney walked up the red carpet at the glitzy event to try and bag a host of prizes including £1000 for the best overall film and a special achievement award.

Students who entered the competition were given free rein to cover anything from tobacco addiction and the health impact of smoking to the more emotional aspects of smoking such as using cigarettes to look ‘cool’ among their peers.

Nineteen films were submitted from schools across Suffolk and Waveney and there were ten categories including Best Director, Best Actor/Actress, and of course, Best Overall Film.

The outstanding achievement award was won by Old Warren House, a pupil referral unit near Lowestoft with their Wallace and Gromit style animations about peer pressure.

Headteacher Elizabeth Rodgers said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won the outstanding achievement award. It will be such a boost for the students’ self-esteem.

“They all set themselves very high standards in making the animation and thoroughly enjoyed working on the whole project. It proves that a small school like Old Warren House can offer challenge to much larger establishments in some areas of curriculum,” said Elizabeth Rodgers.

The award for best screenplay went to St Albans School in Ipswich with their film The Smoke House.

Eileen O’Connor, head of drama, said: “Education isn’t just about exams and league tables, it is about the opportunity to be challenged and to explore important issues with creativity and humour.

“This project was just such an opportunity, and it was thrilling that one of the films our year 10 drama students submitted was shortlisted. To win has been the icing on the cake! It honours the time and attention the girls put into this project. I’m incredibly proud of them all.”

The coveted prize of £1000 for the best overall film You Can’t Turn Back Time went to Thurston Community College in Bury St Edmunds.

Headteacher Helen Wilson said: “We are absolutely delighted to win the best overall film award. The pupils worked extremely hard to put together a film which I felt was quite outstanding.

“The prize money is an added bonus of course which will be put to good use. We have great plans to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking amongst our students and this money will enable us to have an even greater impact.”

Prizes were presented by NHS Suffolk’s chief executive, Carole Taylor-Brown, along with actor, scriptwriter and director of the Romany Theatre Company, Dan Allum and BBC Radio Suffolk’s very own Lesley Dolphin. Judges included lecturer at Suffolk New College, Bruce Monaghan, Suffolk county councillor Rosemary Clark and Shamsher Diu from NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

Daniel Chapelle, health improvement manager for tobacco control at NHS Suffolk, said: “Even though this is a pilot project the standard of entries was extremely high and the judges were impressed.

“We know that one in seven 15 year olds smoke regularly and one of the main reasons for putting on this event is to increase young people’s awareness of the risks of smoking. We really want to make the Suffolk Oscars an annual event and encourage every school in Suffolk to take part next year.”

For more information about NHS Suffolk visit www.suffolk.nhs.uk
Anyone wishing to enter the competition for next year can contact Daniel Chapelle at [email protected]