A Lancaster woman on a mission to tell the story of a murdered British journalist has relaunched an exhibition in his honour.
Fiona Frank from Halton, has opened her national touring exhibition ‘For Dom, Bruno and the Amazon’ at Halton Mill.
Fiona is also organising a fundraising cabaret to raise money for the Institute established in the name of Dom Phillips.
Mr Phillips, a British environmental journalist, and Brazilian indigenous expert Bruno Pereira were murdered in Brazilian Amazonia in June 2022 while Dom was doing research for a book about the challenges faced by the Amazon and how to solve them.
Fiona is a friend of Dom’s sister, Lancaster musician Sian Phillips.
“Sian’s speech at her brother’s funeral was broadcast to 128 countries," said Fiona.
"She said the family would not let Dom’s story be silenced: and I vowed to help the family tell that story.
"Back in 2022 I helped to produce an exhibition and a festival about the Amazon, to honour Dom and Bruno and the many others who have lost their lives protecting the Amazon.”
The exhibition has toured nationally for the last two years.
It has now been updated to reflect political changes in Brazil and to accompany the publication of Dom’s book and the launch by his widow of the Dom Phillips Institute to take forward Dom’s legacy of providing a voice for rainforest defenders.
The exhibition – with striking photographs throughout its 15 panels – exposes the dangers that the rainforest and its inhabitants are facing from deforestation, and from illegal mining and fishing. .
The exhibition is free and all are welcome. Please book at trybooking.co.uk/FBKT
It will close on Monday September 1 with Sian Phillips speaking about Dom's life and his legacy. Again, all welcome.
The cabaret night was inspired when, in November 2023, Fiona set off on a year-long trip around the Americas – partly moved by wanting to find out more about the story of Dom and Bruno.
As well as meeting people involved in Indigenous rights, she also had her melodeon and her concertina with her, and sought out musicians to play with everywhere she went.
'Musical Journeys '25, the ‘Fiona’s Travels’ edition' is planned to take place on October 4 featuring some of the world-renowned musicians and dancers Fiona met while travelling across the Americas.
It will be be broadcast worldwide on Zoom, and will also be beamed to an in-person event at Halton Mill, where there will be a big screen and local performers Capoeira Angola Ogum and Batala Lancaster plus Brazilian food and Brazilian art to add to the atmosphere.
Performers confirmed so far include Cacuriá Rosa de Balaio dancers from São Luís, Brazil, Mary Beth Carty (Nova Scotia) – Canadian Folk Singer of the Year 2024, and Carmen Guérard (Montreal) – virtuoso Québécois melodeon.
"Dom’s book 'How to Save the Amazon, a journalist's deadly quest for answers' was launched at a sell-out event last month in Lancaster," said Fiona.
"When I met his widow, Alessandra Sampaio, in Brazil – and again at the book launch – I resolved to try to raise funds for the Dom Phillips Institute.
"And as a musician who’s been organising events for many years, I’m doing it in the best way that I know how.
"I’m very pleased to also be able to include two fascinating music projects I came across when I was travelling in Amazonia."
So far more than £2750 has been raised from a Crowdfunder and Fiona confirmed on Wednesday, which was Dom's birthday, that the cabaret show would happen.
The crowdfunder is available HERE.
Advance tickets for the event, available at the crowdfunder link, are £5 (low waged/student) and £15 (standard) for online tickets, £10 (low waged/student) and £20 (standard) for in person tickets for the event at Halton Mill, Halton Lancaster.
Higher priced rewards are available on the site, including music downloads and signed art prints.
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