In 1969 the story knocked the moon landings off of the front pages - a hunger strike by six members of the Leigh Park community. The Sixpenny Six - so-called because of their protest at Portsmouth City Council's decision to charge sixpence to enter a local park - became the focus of the national media. The group were imprisoned but freed after a seven day hunger strike - the then Labour Government calling on a fourteenth century law to secure their release. Thirty years later, some members of the group joined with the BBC's Community Media Suite at the Park Community School to celebrate their famous protest. The film was screened on the 35th anniversary of the original jailings, which took place on 12 July 1969 - a day before the first moon walk. Community events in Leigh Park like the Sixpenny Six will live on in the memory from now on, thanks to the launch of a volunteer media unit on the estate.  | | Memories from the Leigh Park community. |
Its launch was announced by the Deputy Director General of the BBC, Mark Byford, at a reception in July 2004 to celebrate the corporation's Media On The Park partnership. "The group will film community events, such as the local carnival," he said. "The fact that it's happening is a tribute to the dedication of the founder members, who have been training at Park Community School, which I think is just superb. "Working with communities is what the BBC should be, and is, all about", he said. The group will be run by the members themselves, with support from the BBC and the school's media suite. "They will also organise their own further training, in liaison with the BBC," said Mr Byford.
If there's an event in Leigh Park that you'd like the community media unit to film, email the group here.
| 
