About Go Tell the Bees
Developed from four years of conversations, and inspired by the 25th anniversary of the Sea Empress disaster, Go Tell the Bees is a film made by, with and for the people of Pembrokeshire.
There is a darkness on the horizon – something creeping closer which echoes a blackness that covered the land and the sea 25 years ago.
The bees, once our friends and confidantes, can sense the danger and are preparing to flee. Without them the Earth’s ecosystem and our communities will crumble.
One small child with a special connection to the natural world senses the danger. Join him on an epic journey as he travels Pembrokeshire with just twenty four hours to reconnect us with nature and with each other to help convince the bees to stay.
Watch the trailer
Go Tell the Bees was presented by NTW TEAM and co-created by Naomi Chiffi, Di Ford, Sita Thomas and the people of Pembrokeshire.
In September 2021 we screened Go Tell the Bees in grand castles and picturesque farms across the county. Each of our these events began with a live performance, a chance to explore our Simple Acts exhibition and an introduction from storyteller and myth-maker, Phil Okwedy.
Image gallery
Gallery from our summer screenings
Sea Empress 25
Time is punctured by moments. Moments that change things. Moments that make us stop.
8.07pm on the night of the 15th of February, 1996, was one of these moments. 25 years on, the Sea Empress oil spill is still fresh in the memory of Pembrokeshire.
From surfers to fishermen, oil refinery workers to ship captains, conservationists to politicians, hear the personal stories from the people who were there. With dream-like visuals and atmospheric music from Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci’s John Lawrence, Sea Empress 25 tells the story of an environmental disaster whose impact is still felt today.
Sea Empress 25 is a film by Gavin Porter, made in collaboration with Postcards and Podcasts.
Explore our web app
Explore the themes of Go Tell the Bees further by visiting our web app, especially developed for us by local student Natasha Bigford.
On the app you will find:
- Resources to explore and inspire you
- Music from the film’s soundtrack by John Lawrence, Jess Ward and Molara Awen
- A series of “Stories for Stressed Grown Ups” by Neil Bebber
- A series of stories and meditations related to our Simple Acts, created by Phil Okwedy and the children of Manorbier School
Please note: you can access the app on desktop devices, but you will get the best experience on a mobile device.
Cast & Credits
Creative team
Naomi Chiffi – Co-Creator & Writer
Diana Ford – Co-Creator & Designer
Sita Thomas – Co-Creator & Director
Gavin Porter – Co-creator
Julia Thomas – Co-creator
Almir Koldzic – Co-creator
Joe Sullivan – Director of Photography
Jack Abbott – 2nd Unit Camera Operator
Joe Sullivan – Editor
Chloe Barnes – Producer
Gemma Thomas – Company Stage Manager
Becca Moore – Stage Manager
Devinda De Silva – NTW Head of Collaboration
Rachel John – NTW TEAM Associate (Pembrokeshire)
Sophie Lewis – NTW TEAM Assistant
Fahadi Mukulu – Associate Director
Ceri James – Lighting Design
Gemma Green Hope – Animation
Tom Frost – Graphic Design
Jon Foreman – Land Artist
Dave Hammerton – Carpenter
Ivan Black – Additional Design
John Lawrence – Composer
Jess Ward – Additional composition & harpist
Kristian Westmacott – Bee vocals
David Pepper – Piano composition
Molara Awen & Jenny Guard (with thanks to Span Arts) – Choral compositions
Sabrina Evans – Lyrics, Catch This Quiet
Samba Doc – Percussion
Kelly Bannister – Costume Assistant
Fran Evans – Design Assistant
Jack Waring – Production Assistant
Laura Chapman – Production Assistant
Georgia Daniels – Production Assistant
Sanjyokta Deshmukh – Additional writing (Môr)
Wayne Boucher – Additional filming & audio content
Wil Eiddan Richardson – Additional filming
Rowan Chitania – Additional filming
Blaise Bullimore – Sea Empress Stock Footage
Gareth Davies – Sea Empress Photography
Cast in order of appearance
Phil Okwedy – Seer
Tristan Edmonds – Dryw
Sophie Grehan – Dancer
Hannah La-Trobe – Dancer
Francesca Tebbutt – Dancer
Abigail Beck – News Reporter
Melissa Phillips – Gwenyn
Mirelle Gipson – Hedd
Kristian Westmacott – Mabon
Ben Hughes – Bee
Oscar Kinnard – Bee
Kenton Lloyd Morgan – Ywen
Ava Thomas – Protestor
Raph Chiffi – Protestor
Ivy Chiffi – Protestor
Gruff Chiffi – Protestor
Rachel John – Protestor
Judith Humphreys – Zephyr
Molara Awen – Petra
Sanjyokta Deshmukh – Môr
Surfers, swimmers, fishermen voices
Ruby Stephens
Kate Wright
Jane Williams
Robbie Price
Gavin Wright
Robert “Nobby” Hall
Jack Waring
Grant Jones
Rhiannon Morgan-Bell
Community cast
Community Gardeners
Ben Manning, Brian Rowe, Carolyn Waters, Judy Roblin, Marg Howells, Melanie Phillips, Rhys J Hughes, Rhys John, Rosie Manning, Vanessa John
Protestors
Josh Beynon, Cara Gaskell, Angharad Tudor Price, Moira Jenkins, Angela Newman, Jackie Gilderdale, Mary Baker, Peter Warrender
Protestors, Get the Boys a Lift
Ryan Evans, George Ratcliffe, Jordan Marshall, Rhian Clutterbuck, Holly Skyrme, Harri Evans, Amsaal Maqsood
Protestors, VC Gallery
Ryan Wilson, Gemma Taylor, Rafael Smith
Artists inspired by nature
David Pepper, Guy Manning, Ivan Black, Molly Creemer, Millie Marotta, Anwen Walter, Kerry Steed
Surfers
Harry Cromwell, Sam Ryder, Cara Gaskell
Blue Tit Swimmers
Anna Grime, Debbie Cranmer, Jackie Jones, Jo Sharpe, Makala Jones, Nimi Marwick, Penny Dafforn, Sam Minas, Sarah Mullis, Selina Taylor, Sian Richardson, Sue Cox
Verbatim interviews (Môr section)
Diana Ford, Cara Gaskell, Sian Richardson, Peter ‘Chippy’ Thomas
Candlelit vigil, Skrinkle
Rachael Bush, Kate Wright, Gavin Wright, Jane Webster, Peter Webster, Anne Joyner, Jay Z May, Kev May, Robert James Hall, Jane Williams, Irene Williams
Candlelit vigil, One Voice Choir
Alice Davidson, Ann Phillips, Annie Stuart, Ase Forder, Cathy Davies, Eliza Allen, Gill Meaney, Gilly Davidson, Hannah John, Holly Cross, Jenny Guard, John Skelton, Marley Jones, Melanie Corp, Miranda Rhys Davies, Natalie Jones, Natasha Davies Puddy, Salvia Calor, Taran Parker, Ted Lishman, Tracey English
Community footage
Adam Morgan, Adele Greene, Ali Goolyad, Anastacia Ackers, Angharad James, Anne-Marie Rees, Anwen James, Arvind Howarth, Aser Bourne, Ayshe Senkal, Ben Tinniswood, Beryl Boucher, Bibi Belle Macdougall, Catrin Ridley, Chris Smith, Clare Howells, Claire Sommerville, Dan Howells, Dhini De Silva-Clay, Elliot Lewis, Emin Senkal, Emyr Lewis, Eva Vandermeer, Eylem Senkal, Fayeanne Morgan, Francesca Loo, Franchesca Carter, Gemma Elizabeth Parry, Gwyn James, Hannah John, Helen Lewis, Holly Bee, Jack Billingham, Jan Lloyd, Jem Wall, Jen Lackie, Jeremy Linnell, Jo Davies, Jo Purnell, Jonathan Stuart, Kate Major-Patience, Katie Rigg, Kiri Howell, Luke Cowpe, Melissa Berry, Natasha Borton, Natasha Jenkins, Natasha Simone, Natassja Morgan, Nathan Crossan-Smith, Rachael Bush, Rachel Holland, Rebecca Bridgeman-Williams, Rhian Jones, Rosey Meiring, Rosie Lewis, Roy Doxsey, Ruby Stephens, Sara Mills Mcbeth, Sarah Bolwell, Sarah Rapi, Shirley Draper, Shweta Patil, Simon Rhys-Phillips, Sue Lines, VC Gallery
Special thanks to
The People of Pembrokeshire
Chris Sharples, Ty Canol Woods
Judy Roblin, Cottage Garden, Pembroke
Manorbier Castle
Natural Resources Wales
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Pembrokeshire County Council
Tenby Town Council
Steve and Liz Ford, Winterton Farm, Marloes
All the Gardeners of Pembroke and Pembroke Dock
Torch Theatre
Castle Inn, Manorbier
Manorbier Church in Wales VC School
Greenhill School, Tenby
Milford Haven Comprehensive
Ysgol Bro Gwaun
Haverfordwest High VC School
Ysgol Gelli Aur
St Oswald’s Church in Wales VC School
Ysgol Hafan y Môr
Pembrokeshire Learning Centre
Robert Jakes, Sand Palace Arts
Heritage Spa Lodge
Sustainability in Production Alliance
Little Green Grant (Sustainable Development Fund) and The Bluestone Foundation
Daphne Bush, Mena Evans, Kerry Steed, Lloyd the Graffiti, Jack Merrony, Jodie Jenkins, Mathew Price, Anna Strzelecki, Diana Brook, Natasha Simone Bigford, Neil Bebber, Carys Eleri, Nathan Lowe, Abi Sidebotham, Robbie Price, Owain Roach, and Fern Lewis.