My friend and former colleague Nigel Evans, who has died aged 71, made more than 40 documentaries championing the rights of disabled and marginalised people. We made our first films together in the late 60s, following a small group of heroin addicts struggling to overcome their addiction. Two years later, we made an Omnibus film for the BBC, Seeds of a New Life, about a drama teacher, Dorothy Heathcote, who worked with disabled people.
In 1973, Nigel was awarded a Churchill scholarship to explore new approaches to working with marginalised communities. He founded the charity One Plus One, which supported volunteers in working with patients in psychiatric hospitals. This began in four hospitals, but by 1978 the number had grown to 21. His film Silent Minority (1981) exposed the neglect and abuse of psychiatric patients.
Continue reading...