A DEDICATED charity leader from Chard has been invited to Buckingham Palace in recognition of her work.

Elspeth Waldie, founder of Purple Field Productions (PFP), has been invited to the palace for her ongoing work in some of the most deprived countries of the world that all started in a remote corner of Chard.

About 16 years ago, she sold a small field of purple grasses near Chard Reservoir to raise money to make a film and kick-start the PFP charity.

Rob Rainbow, who is a trustee for PFP, said: “The story begins in 1998, when Elspeth was working at the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) in Bangladesh.

“The director suggested that Elspeth should write a script for a Bollywood-style film with a disabled hero that would focus on their ability as opposed to their disability.

“With no previous experience, she wrote the script, the film was shot and later shown on TV and to huge audiences across the paddy fields of Bangladesh. Elspeth had the bug.

“CRP then asked Elspeth to make another film but this time, there was no money and Elspeth had no film making skills or experience.

“Undaunted, she went to the newly started Somerset Film and Video organization at Bridgwater and put her problem to its director, explaining that she wanted to make a full-length feature film in Bangladesh but had no money, skills, equipment, or training, and absolutely no idea what she was doing.

“‘Am I mad?’ she asked. The response was ‘yes, but go for it.’”

Elspeth trained, sold her field, bought digital equipment and made a full-length Bollywood-style movie called Radio Bhai.

It starred a young man in a wheelchair, cost just £8,000 and, Rob says, was a great success.

Purple Field Productions was then officially formed in 2004 and now works together with people in Africa and Asia to make educational films in their own languages and for use in their own countries on issues such a health, social welfare and the environment.

It is currently working in Sierra Leone, Malawi, Kenya and Senegal.

Mr Rainbow added: “It costs about £50,000 a year to keep the charity going and depends almost entirely on donations, volunteers and the undaunted spirit of Elspeth Waldie to survive.

“She is extraordinarily resolute and determined - she had to be to achieve all that she has.”

For more information on the charity, including how to get involved, contact admin@purplefieldproductions.org.