[AISWorld] Fwd: LEO FIlm Wins ABSW Award

[Lisa McGerty]

LEO FILM WINS ABSW VIDEO OF THE YEAR AWARD 

LYONS ELECTRONIC
OFFICE: THE STORY OF THE WORLD'S FIRST BUSINESS COMPUTER 

The Centre
for Computing History and partners The LEO Computers Society are
delighted to announce that their film about LEO, the world's first
business computer has won the Association of British Science Writers
(ABSW) Video of the Year Award 2022. 

LEO, otherwise known as the Lyons
Electronic Office, was a pioneering British computer developed in the
early 1950s by J. Lyons & Co., famous for tea, cakes and the teashops
that were once part of the fabric of British life. 

The film was
commissioned as part of a project funded by The National Lottery
Heritage Fund;'_Swiss Rolls, Tea & the Electronic Office_', which is
preserving, cataloguing and making accessible the heritage of this
remarkable machine so as to raise awareness of this relatively unknown
British story. 

 [1] 

Judges commented that the film was "an absorbing
and textured piece with excellent and evocative archive footage". It
aims to introduce a whole new generation, from secondary school age
upwards, to the remarkable story of the birth of a technology that,
today, we take for granted. 

Lisa McGerty, manager of the project said:
"We're honoured that the LEO film we commissioned - and which was
expertly made by Richard Hollingham and Jamie Partridge of Boffin Media
- has been recognised as the Association of British Science Writers'
Video of the Year. LEO's story really is remarkable, and it is a
privilege for us to work with some of the surviving pioneers on this
project, as well established film producers like Boffin. The first LEO
computer was an astounding feat not just of engineering but also of
vision by a company that had the foresight to recognise just how
computers could revolutionise business at a time when computers didn't
really exist. Everyone should know about it.". 

The film is freely
available to watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzu68nRVwtE [2].
It will be signposted to schools and colleges as part of The Centre for
Computing History's learning programme. 

NOTES
1. The film has been
created by Boffin Media, an award-winning production company
specialising in science and space. The Producer is Richard Hollingham
and the Director is Jamie Partridge; Richard received the award at the
ABSW Awards ceremony on Thursday 14th July 2022. 

2. The LEO Computers
Society is committed to promoting and protecting LEO's history.
Membership of the Society is open to all ex-employees of LEO Computers
and its succeeding companies, anyone who worked with a LEO computer and
anyone with a specific interest in the history of LEO Computers. Among
its members are pioneers from the very early days of computing and
membership is currently free of charge. Visit www.leo-computers.org.uk
[3]. Follow @leocomputers51 [4]. 

3. Established in 2006, the Centre
for Computing History is a charitable heritage organisation with a
strong focus on learning. Since opening in Cambridge in August 2013, the
Centre has helped people understand how tech has shaped the modern world
and revolutionised the way we live, work and play through interactive
displays and exhibitions, our schools programme, learning events and
workshops, and an astonishing collection of computers old and new. Visit
www.computinghistory.org.uk [5]. Follow @computermuseum [6] 

4. Using
money raised by the National Lottery, The National Lottery Heritage Fund
inspires, leads and resources the UK's heritage to create positive and
lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future.
www.heritagefund.org.uk. Since The National Lottery began in 1994,
National Lottery players have raised over £43 billion for projects and
more than 635,000 grants have been awarded across the UK. Each week,
thanks to National Lottery players, £30 million is raised for good
causes across the UK. Follow @HeritageFundUK [7] on Twitter, Facebook
and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund 

For further
information on the museum, the Society, the LEO project or for images,
please contact: Lisa McGerty (lisa at computinghistory.org.uk, 01223 214446
/ 07825 794791) or Peter Byford (peter.byford at leo-computers.org.uk,
07944 038489). 

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---

Dr Lisa McGerty 

(she/her)

Project Manager

Centre for
Computing History

Rene Court 

Coldhams Road 

Cambridge 

CB1 3EW


01223 214446

www.computinghistory.org.uk

 

Links:
------
[1]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzu68nRVwtE
[2]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzu68nRVwtE
[3]
http://www.leo-computers.org.uk/
[4]
https://twitter.com/leocomputers51
[5]
http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/
[6]
https://twitter.com/computermuseum
[7]
https://twitter.com/HeritageFundUK
[8]
https://www.facebook.com/computinghistory
[9]
https://twitter.com/computermuseum
[10]
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnw4p95EOWghQNP4vOv8VHw/videos
[11]
https://www.instagram.com/thecentreforcomputinghistory/
[12]
https://plus.google.com/+TheCentreforComputingHistory
[13]
http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/