There’s extra incentive to attend Sunday’s Family Fun Day as we’ll be showing a premiere of a fantastic historical film all about Wimbledon.
Set-up by WiSH (Wimbledon in Sporting History) and digital-works (www.digital-works.co.uk) and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the ‘Wombles from the Lane’ project is a collection of AFC Wimbledon fan oral history interviews.
It’s been edited into a film, which will be screened for the first time from 3.00 pm (doors open at 2.30 pm) in the main function room on the second floor at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.
The premiere is the outcome of months of hard work by a dedicated bunch of volunteers.
Maya Gottlieb, who is pictured far left in the picture above with Alex Kidd (far right) and interviewees Ann-Marie Godfrey and John Lynch, said: “I was part of a volunteer team of eight, attending a week of oral history training, followed by a week of recording 24 in-depth interviews, run by Matthew Rosenberg and Sav Kyriacou from educational charity digital:works.
“As a relatively new fan, the project gave me a greater appreciation that there are so many ups and downs in the life of a football club. There’s a complete wealth of memory and experience and a curiosity to hear the thousands of others. Every time you make that walk up to Plough Lane, or chant Wimbledon songs with strangers, you’re enveloped in a story.
“When asked at what point I felt like I was part of the club, I said I wasn’t sure I felt like a member yet. Had I been interviewed a week later, after completing the project, my answer would have been different.
“It may have been all the days spent in the stadium, doing the training and interviews, or how welcoming and friendly all the new faces were, but I think it was the gentle waves of community spirit I felt myself carried into as I listened to each story.
“So many things in life we experience alone. Football for this community isn’t one of them and I’ve felt that this year at Plough Lane. Hearing these stories throughout the project told me it’s always been true, whether here, on Wimbledon Common 20 years ago, or for a kid on the terraces 60 years ago.”
It’s free to attend Sunday’s film premiere, but please book in advance by visiting this Eventbrite page.
Take a look below at a trailer for the film.