Wrexham film-maker’s transition from addiction to media maestro honoured in major art installation to celebrate The National Lottery’s 30th Birthday
- The National Lottery kicks off its 30th Birthday celebrations, with stunning installation at St James’s Park, London today
- The artwork commemorates the extraordinary achievements of National Lottery Community ‘Game Changers’; seven incredible individuals who have done extraordinary things for communities with the help of National Lottery funding- including Eternal Media founder Marcus Fair
- Marcus survived a 25-year heroin and crack cocaine addiction, vast swathes of homelessness and multiple prison sentences before going on to found Wrexham charity Eternal Media. Supporting more than 700 offenders and ex-offenders to give them opportunities in filmmaking.
A stunning installation honouring seven ‘Game Changers’ from across the UK has been unveiled to kick-off The National Lottery’s 30th birthday celebrations.
Portraits of the seven, including Wrexham filmmaker Marcus Fair, appeared on the water at London’s iconic St. James’s Park, managed by The Royal Parks charity, in recognition of their game-changing impact on their respective communities with the help of National Lottery players who raise £30 million every week for good causes.
Created by renowned grandmaster graffiti artist Luis Gomez De Teran, the images on Perspex screens appear to float on the water at the Royal Park and were unveiled by broadcaster, Adele Roberts.
Marcus has selected as a game changer for his remarkable life journey. He survived drug addiction, homelessness and prison sentences before going on to found charity Eternal Media. His life had spiralled to the point where he endured many rock bottoms and countless overdoses on the streets, lost in the cycle of addiction.
He started making films again in prison and knew that if he could get back into that creative space, he might be able to find his return ticket from hell and become drug free.
It was during his last stint in prison – a sentence which Marcus credits with saving his life – Eternal Media was conceived. The charity works with offenders, ex-offenders and those who are susceptible to offending, focusing on people seeking, or in recovery from addiction. By offering support, education, volunteering and training opportunities in filmmaking and other media formats, Eternal is a safe space for participants to explore their creativity with like-minded people in various stages of recovery. Working out of a 1960’s Cold War Nuclear Bunker in Wrexham, Marcus uses his personal experience as someone who has found way out of long-term drug addiction, homelessness and crime, to now being able to show others a way out of the living nightmare of addiction, offending and all too often a lonely avoidable death on our streets.
Mentored in London by a BAFTA winning filmmaker, Marcus brings back and shares industry skills to his crew and participants in North Wales to make stunningly beautiful, emotive and impactful documentary films with people across the country from many communities as well as prisoners. Eternal’s productions are used globally and all UK prisons also have access to its podcasts and films. With the help of National Lottery funding, Eternal Media has welcomed more 700 people through the doors of the bunker and received almost £180,000 of National Lottery funding.
Adele Roberts said: “I am deeply honoured to support The National Lottery’s celebration of these extraordinary Community Game Changers. It’s a privilege to be part of an initiative that shines a light on the positive change they bring to so many lives. The National Lottery has played a vital role in making these stories possible, and I’m proud to help celebrate their 30th birthday in such a meaningful way.”
Marcus Fair, founder, Eternal Media added: “For the vast majority of my life, I was what only can be described as a hopeless addict. My only reason for existing and purpose in life was to take heroin. Addiction took me at such a young age and had me trapped in the revolving door of police stations with multiple prison sentences and hospital visits. I didn’t know that recovery was possible for an addict of the hopeless variety like me.
“I started Eternal Media as a ‘life after addiction’ project because nothing like it existed and I thought to myself, ‘I’m the worst addict I know, and if it’s having such a profound effect on keeping me clean and out of prison, surely Eternal could do the same for others?’ And it does, day in day out.
“I feel that my 25 years in addiction are a little less wasted with each new person we support. We deliver high production value media and we make incredible films, but these are really the byproducts of what we do, what we really do is rebuild people, rebuild families and rebuild communities, something we’re so very passionate and proud of. Funding from The National Lottery has enabled us to make the most phenomenal difference and help so many people to transform their lives. As a born addict, it’s just in my DNA to want more and with The National Lottery’s support I know we’ll help so many more people in years to come!”
David Knott, chief executive officer at The National Lottery Community Fund, added: “Celebrating The National Lottery’s 30th birthday is a momentous occasion, and there’s no better way to mark it than by honouring extraordinary people who have changed the game for their communities across the UK, thanks to three decades of support from National Lottery players.
“At The National Lottery Community Fund, we believe everything starts with community. Every three minutes a community shares its dream with us, and every eight minutes, we award a grant to help make those dreams a reality. So, we are thrilled to showcase these powerful stories and hope this incredible installation will inspire even more people to see the difference National Lottery funding could make in their own communities.”
To mark the 30th anniversary of the first draw in 1994, The National Lottery is celebrating 30 inspirational people – Game Changers – who have achieved amazing things across the UK in the last 30 years, with the help of National Lottery funding.
28 Game Changers will be revealed in September and October at four installations which will focus on an area of National Lottery funding including, the arts & film, heritage, sport and community.
The final two Game Changers will be announced on The National Lottery’s New Year’s Eve Big Bash scheduled for broadcast on ITV on 31 December.
The National Lottery has been changing lives every day for the past 30 years, funding thousands of projects which help build resilient, inclusive and environmentally sustainable communities and create healthier and happier lives within a flourishing society.
This includes more than £391 million in support for small and medium-sized charities, £119 million for children’s and youth organisations and £94.7 million for projects working with people with disabilities each year from The National Lottery Community Fund across the UK.
The National Lottery Community Fund has contributed £1.06bn to life changing good causes in Wales since 1994.
