The Rory Peck Trust: The Free Lens

The Rory Peck Training Fund

"Everyone in my group came away wondering how we'd ever managed to cover stories in hostile situations without the training… boy, have some of us been lucky! The opportunity you provide to freelance journalists, such as myself, is one way to help reduce the growing number of "job-related" deaths and injuries around the world. Thank you for trying to make a dent in that number"

Alexandra Quade,
Field Producer/Reporter/Anchor

Media workers in war zones have increasingly become targets for kidnap and - in recent tragic cases - murder. Safety training makes people aware of their environment, alert to potential risks, able to take steps to avoid them - it can help save lives.

Although many media employers now provide this training for their staff, freelancers are increasingly told that they will not be commissioned for an assignment unless they have done a training course. This is good practice - but most freelancers cannot afford safety training and are coming to us for help.

Non-commissioned freelancers are also coming to us - they want to be prepared. This is also good practice. However, our bursaries are limited, the demand is growing and in cases where we cannot provide a bursary, the freelancer is often faced with the choice of not working - or going into a war zone without proper training. As one freelance cameraman explains "if we don't take a job, someone else will…we almost HAVE to take everything we are offered."

The Rory Peck Training Fund enables freelancers worldwide, from all sections of the media, to take safety training courses. Supported by corporate and individual contributions, the fund offers bursaries covering approximately 75% of course costs. Training is given by our approved course providers, all of whom run courses both in the UK and overseas. Since the Fund began in May 2000, over 150 freelancers have benefited from the training that could save their lives - and those of their colleagues.

We Need Your Help to Continue.

Individual support
For £825, ($1,300) you can sponsor a training bursary which can be named by you, and designated for use in a specific sector of the media.

Corporate support
Bursaries can be named after your organisation and can be designated for a specific media sector if required.

£ 2,500	($ 4,000)	3 bursaries
£ 5,000	($ 8,000)	6 bursaries
£10,000	($16,000)	12 bursaries
£12,500	($20,000)	15 bursaries

Issue 15
August 2003

Supported by:

The Rory Peck Trust
7 Southwick Mews, London W2 1JG
Tel: 44 - (0) 20 7262 5272
Fax: 44 - (0) 20 7262 2162
e-mail: rptrpa@dial.pipex.com

Limited Company No. 35524586 Registered in England and Wales
Charity Reg. No. 1071844