Official Launch 25th October

It's come around quick, hasn't it?
Our official launch is nearly here. This Thursday we'll be revealing some more of our channels and launching the site into the big wide world at Sparkhouse Studios, Lincoln at 2pm.

Our pre-launch served us well, ironing out glitches and server issues. Still having issues with HTML5, so for a little while longer our content won't be viewable on iPads. Eventually our servers and our HTML5 video players will talk to eachother and we'll move away from FlashPlayer, making our content viewable on every possible platform. We'll let you know when that is.

Interested in coming along? Drop us an e-mail at info@erminestreetproject.co.uk and you may well get on the guest list.

Update on Finding the Pathfinders

Things that are worth doing are never easy, and this funding adventure is no exception!
Unsuccessful with our current funding bids, we are trying a different approach- we shall keep you informed.
In the meantime, it gives us more of a chance to try and trace the relatives of Dad's crew mates that we haven't tracked down yet.
Can you help? Here's a list of those we would like to find if they are still with us, or if they are not with us, we would love to include any direct relatives in our documentary. We have various bits of information on most of them, but the vital information about where they, or their family are now, is what we're really after. These are the ones we have yet to trace with some info to jog some memories, we hope:

100 Squadron (Waltham, Grimsby) from 5/2/1943

Pilot Officer Harold Kenneth Campbell Harvey DFC or "Ken" Harvey , rejoined Canadian Air Force, last known to have been a pilot and air cadet officer in Canada up until 1957. 

Andy C Barr, Flight engineer, possibly from Scotland.

Sgt James F Craik, Bomb Aimer. Is listed as a pilot with a DFC in a Memorial book from Hillhead School, Glasgow. He died before the end of the war over Belgium. Can't find a record of the DFC. 

Sgt Harry S Woods, Wireless Operator, possibly from Mansfield. Is he the same Harry Woods that died in Grimsby a couple of years ago?

Sgt Geoff W Mander, Navigator. Died on a training mission in 1944. Lived at the City Arms Pub, York with his parents before the war.

Sgt C "Dusty" Menear, Rear Gunner. Lived in Parr, Cornwall up until at least 1950 when Dad lost touch with him.

97 Squadron (Bourne 15/3/44 , then  Conningsby from 15/4/44) 

Flight Officer Parker, no first name. Was best man to the Pilot, Bill Reid, but the family have lost touch with the Parkers. He was known to be a poultry farmer in Bury St Edmunds after the war.

Gordon Brown, rear gunner. Possibly from Yorkshire and played Rugby before the war.

Flight Sgt B. Harthill, wireless operator. No other information on him has been confirmed.

Anything here ring a bell? If so, send us an e-mail at info@erminestreetproject.co.uk and lets see if we can get everyone involved together for a reunion next year. My Dad would love to know what happened to everyone after the war.

Pre- Launch of ESPTV set for 9th September

We're going to be very busy this week with our pre-launch at The Asylum , Lincoln on Sunday, 9th September.
As we're pre-launching with our Steampunk channel, where better to launch than at one of the largest Steampunk events in Europe?
The Asylum is ticket only, but you can obtain tickets still via the gates of Lincoln Castle for the event.
We'll be in the Victorian Prison in the grounds of the castle, sharing our temporary home with the film festival running over the weekend. We shall launch officially at 11am with suitable aplomb!
Of course, this is only a small taste of what the main channel will be, with many more channels added at the main launch and at mini events in the subsequent months.

It's going to be splendid!

Finding the Pathfinders

Whilst we're busy with the launch of ESPTV, we're also currently fundraising for a documentary close to my heart- a documentary about my father, Douglas Percy Cannings who flew in Lancaster Bombers during the war (yes, I was a late baby- I'm not that old!)
Bids are in with the Heritage Lottery and the Council and we'll know by mid September.
My Dad wants to find out what happened to all his crewmates in the two squadrons he served in- 100 Squadron at Waltham, Grimsby and 97 Squadron, Conningsby. Chances are there's not many left now but we want to contact the surviving family members too and gather them together for a day at East Kirkby to see a Lancaster Bomber up close.
We've found a few families so far and we'll hopefully find someone from each family. The stories we're uncovering so far are amazing, and some of them very sad.
We'll be enlisting the help of local history volunteers and St Christophers School, Lincoln too in our search, as we want to find some people that lived in Conningby and Grimsby during the war who can remember the Lancasters in the sky.
Of course, we'll be providing some paid jobs to Lincolnshire creatives too and making sure that, as always, that we give some paid work to newly graduated students in the region.
This is going to be a very special project and we'll keep you updated on here how it's all going.
My sister has done an excellent blog on her trip to Belgium accompanying Dad to a book launch about the Pathfinder Squadron raids there. (the writer had consulted Dad on some historical detail).
http://sandycanblog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/im-so-proud-of-my-dad.html
It was one of the reasons that I wanted to tell this story. It's been an emotional time just making the first inroads into researching this. It is going to make a very special documentary.

Our advertising offer just got better!

Yes folks, we've made our Launch advertising offer even better by giving away TWO months free advertising!
We've been busy sorting through our submissions which is taking some time, so in order not to keep you all waiting too long, we'll be doing a special preview in September. Look out for our preview launch date- it's going to be rather special. We've chosen the "Steampunk" channel to be our very special month-long  preview and we'll be looking to find some rather splendid steampunk advertisers to grace our pages along with anyone else who would like to take advantage of our free offer.
Don't forget, anyone who takes us up on our offer will get entered into our free draw to win a pre-roll ad shot by Ermine Street Project up to a value of £500! You'd be mad not to!
E-mail us at info@erminestreetproject.co.uk for more details.

Free prize draw for businesses!

Calling all business owners....
Would you like free advertising for a month, plus the chance to win a free online ad made by Ermine Street Project CIC?
That's our great offer on the table to celebrate our upcoming launch of ESPTV.
All businesses, local or national that contact us in the next month will get:
1. Free banner ad space for a whole month on ESPTV, our new internet TV channel.*
2.One free entry into a draw to win a 20 second "pre-roll" ad to be shown before some of the films on our channel for the first three months. This will be professionally shot, using Ermine Street Project's customary flair and imagination. After the three months is up, you are free to use this ad anywhere on the web!**
What have you got to lose?
Tweet us or send us an e-mail for full terms and conditions.

*No charges will apply if contract cancelled within first month. Subsequent to that, CPM charges will apply at the rate appropriate for the banner ad.
**Pre-Roll Ad will be up to the value of £500 using Ermine Street Project CIC's current pricing structure

Submissions officially open!

Now we've finalised the contract, we're officially open for submissions to our channel.
Send us an e-mail at
info@erminestreetproject.co.uk and we'll send you details of how to submit.
Deadline for consideration in our very first month of operation will be 31st July 2012. Submissions will be considered at any time after that, but successful submissions will go online in subsequent months.
If you're included on our channel in that first month, you'll get an invite to the launch party in Lincoln, too.
Launch will probably be early september- more details on that in the coming weeks.

**STOP PRESS** extended deadline by request: 25th August