Arts Centre appeal film makes awards shortlist
/priorscourt @PriorsCourt @priors_court Prior's Court Foundation
New film shines a light on
sibling relationships
From loneliness and
missed experiences as a
family and with friends to
the strongest of bonds,
the sister of a Prior's
Court young person has
lifted the lid on life as the
sibling of someone with
complex autism.
Kaitlin Lawrence's brother Jamie,
19, has been living and learning
full-time at Prior's Court since he
was 13, after being taken into care
at the age of 10 due to the nature
of his autism leading to aggressive
behaviours towards his family.
Kaitlin, 21, is now appearing
in a new short film where she
explains the impact of not being
able to have a "normal" sibling
relationship, the loneliness that
comes from being the only child
left in the family home when a
sibling is taken into care, and
the pangs of envy of seeing and
hearing of the family experiences
of her peers.
Watch the film via our
website where Kaitlin has
also written more extensively
about her family's story,
detailing:
l Fears over not wanting
childhood friends to visit her
family's home due to them seeing
"what Jamie was like".
l How it was impossible to go out
as a family to play centres or go on
holidays, and also only being able
to have extracurricular activities
with one parent at a time as the
other was needed to look after
Jamie
l The strains of having a
relationship with a sibling when
they live apart from the family
home, particularly with holding
conversations with Jamie who has
echolalia (meaning he repeats, out
of context, word and phrases he
has heard elsewhere).
But Kaitlin also speaks about the
incredible bond she now has with
"her best friend" and her pride in
him.
Kaitlin, a student at the University
of Exeter, said: "The impact on
someone like Jamie moving
into residential care at such a
young age is huge. Even though
somewhere like Prior's Court is
the perfect place for Jamie to be,
being away from our parents and
me as his sister is very challenging
for him.
"What I'm keen for people in my
situation to know, and for others to
understand, is what a devastating
thing this is to go through as a
child. Even now, there is part of
me that wishes I could have had
that "normal" sibling relationship.
But, you can find a way and come
out with an incredible bond that is
truly special."
The story of how the performing arts
has transformed the life of a Prior's
Court young adult has made
the final shortlist in a
charity sector award
scheme.
Prior's Court's short film
"Autism, the performing
arts and Jamie" has
been named as a finalist in
the Charity Film Awards
2023, after a public vote.
Jamie, who is 19 and has
complex autism, is in our
Young Adult Provision,
having joined Prior's Court
when he was 13-years-old.
In the film, Jamie's family outline
why they are supporting our Let Me Shine Performing
Arts Centre appeal, which is seeking £900,000 to
support the build of the innovative and bespoke arts
centre.
The Lawrence family is backing the appeal as in his
time at Prior's Court, Jamie, who left the family home
at the age of 10 to go into care due to his aggressive
behaviours associated with his complex needs,
has been enabled to experience once-in-a-lifetime
opportunities through the arts.
This has included recording an "anthem for autism"
called Let Me Shine, re-recording the song at the
world-famous Abbey Road Studios, and performing
on-stage at music festivals with the Prior's Court Band.
In the film, the family talk about the challenges of
having a child and sibling with such complex needs
and why the centre would be so important for Jamie
and young people like him.
Our film and the other finalists across the categories
will now be scored by a panel of expert judges - which
includes high profile names from retail, education,
private corporation, and sustainable enterprises - who
will be selecting the winners from each category. The
winners of the awards will be announced at a
ceremony in London in March.
There will also be a second public vote in midFebruary
to determine the winners of the Charity Film
Award's "People's Choice" categories.