A CHARITY film premiere has been organised to bring the curtain up on a new fundraising drive.

The Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF), which provides grants to local voluntary and non-profit organisations, is trying to increase awareness of its work.

The ‘Do it for Oxfordshire’ campaign is to kick off with the premiere of the world’s first global warming comedy, Beyond the Pole, and a showing of a new short film by a local film maker.

Beyond the Pole’s director and producer David Williams and cast member Helen Baxendale will be at the event to meet the audience at the Phoenix Picture House, in Walton Street, Oxford, on Thursday, April 15.

And a 15-minute film, The Shift, was directed and produced by 24-year-old David Trumble, who is from Yarnton, and has lived in Oxfordshire all his life.

He said: “It is a comedy drama about a London paramedic who is on a particularly stressful night shift before he comes to a great realisation.”

Mr Trumble said the work of the OCF was extremely important.

He said: “It is independently led charities like this that make places like Oxford stronger.

“All the volunteer and community initiative that make Oxford great the OCF tries to support.

“It is local people helping local people, and I am more than happy to be a part of that.”

OCF chief executive Barry Tanswell said: “Most of the groups we fund probably would not get funding from any other source so without us they would not exist. We are about community building.”

However, Mr Tanswell said the OCF needed to raise its profile to secure more funds for the community.

He said: “We are not exactly a household name but anyone who has been touched by these groups understands the worth of our work.”

Mr Trumble is also a cartoonist for The Sun newspaper.

An exhibition of his work will be in the bar area at the Phoenix during April and a percentage of sales will go to the OCF.

While at Cherwell School, Mr Trumble won the Dan Hemingway Prize for his graphic novel Climate, which he wrote and illustrated when 17.

The OCF will be raising money by selling tickets to the event. There will be a champagne reception and pre-show dining has been organised with a chunk of the bill being donated to the OCF.

The OCF are also raising awareness through ‘Do it in Blue.’ It is are encouraging people to donate £1 to dress down and wear blue at work on Friday, April 16.

Set up in 1995, the OCF has given more than £2.5m in grants to more than 750 local organisations.

To get a ticket to the premiere email ian.workman@ barclayscorporate.com