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.

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.