THREE women from Bridgeton have created a new film to challenge many of the false ideas which still exist about their neighbourhood.

Nessie Howard, 66, Nancy Humphries, 76 and Mary Alice McLellan, 39, who have no experience of filming, are behind "Judge for Yourself".

It portrays their own, real-life take on the perceived issues of gang violence, bigotry and isolation in Bridgeton.

Nancy said: "Like Mary, Alice and Nessie, I have lived in Bridgeton all my life so know the reality of what it is like living in the area and it is a far cry from what people and the media often make it out to be.

"I was fed up with all the negativity I kept hearing and reading about my neighbourhood, from the Orange Order to youth brutality - it is disproportionate, it is not accurate and it is not fair.

"We have a fantastic, close-knit community here which looks after its residents."

The three women started their project by carrying out a survey of their local community to find out what residents and visitors through about the prejudice around Bridgeton.

Lucinda Broadbent of Media Co-op, the film company which provided the training and production, said: "The survey uncovered a resounding agreement amongst interviewees about what the main stereotypes are.

"Gang violence, bigotry - or more specifically sectarianism - and isolation in terms of older people feeling stuck in their homes and too scared to go out featured strongly in people's thoughts.

That is why we chose to base our film on those issues. We wanted to show that in many ways, Bridgeton is not the place people often think it is."

The two-minute film will now be shown at a local community launch and will go live via social media channels so it reaches a much wider audience.

The film will be projected in the windows of four prominent buildings in Bridgeton throughout the Games so thousands of athletes, visitors, spectators, VIPS and the public can see the women's story about the area they love.

vivienne.nicoll@eveningtimes.co.uk