Beacon veterans group feature in an historic film commemorating the Ascent of ‘Helm Crag’ in 1792 by Captain Joseph Budworth
Beacon Counselling Trust were extremely pleased to have been involved in a recent film project with the Wordsworth Grasmere (Wordsworth Museum). The short film ‘Helm Crag’ by Rob Grange, funded by the Arts Council England, commemorated an historical account of the ascent of Helm Crag in 1792, by Captain Joseph Budworth, born in 1956. Beacon Counselling Trust were thrilled to have been invited to take part due to their work involving veterans and the armed forces community.
Beacon supported the project by recruiting a dozen veterans to participate in the event with a number also joining the steep ascent and walk to the summit of Helm Crag (405m). Ian Whiteside, Beacon’s Early Intervention and Education Programme Manager, and a former reservist with the 4th Battalion Parachute Regiment, said “it was amazing to have been asked to join in with this historic recreation of Captain Budworth ascent Helm Crag and it was a real joy to share in the experience with other veterans who added so much to the overall re-enactment”. Through their involvement BCT were able to add authenticity to the activity in relation to this military themed portrayal paying homage to Captain Budworth, himself a British Soldier who served with the 72nd Royal Manchester Volunteers and who lost an arm during the Great Siege of Gibraltar.
The film forms part of a wider exhibition by the Wordsworth Grasmere titled ‘To the Lakes’ and details the accounts of three early Lake District adventurers and renowned writers, including the veteran Capt Joseph Budworth, gothic novelist Ann Radcliffe and the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge respectively. The exhibition has been created to enable the public to experience the Lake District through the words and images captured by these famous literal figures, more than 200 years ago, – the things they did, the places they would stay, the equipment they needed and the clothes they wore albeit by walking in their footsteps and examining their writings. The film premiered over the week at the Kendal Mountain Festival 2023.
Beacon Counselling Trust is pleased to share the finished piece titled ‘Helm Crag’ and would like to thank Jeff Cowton, the curator at Wordsworth Grasmere, film maker Rob Grange, Professor Simon Bainbridge from Lancaster University, and everyone else involved in the project for being asked to take part in this fantastic piece of work.
You can watch the finished film here:
