An audience of over 22,000 people tuned in to watch the 2020 Project Truth ‘homeshow’ which provided exclusive video content over a series of five days from some of the UK’s most talented pro-life youth activists. Louise Grant, Project Truth Coordinator and SPUC Scotland Youth Officer said: “Despite the Project Truth blue hoodies being off the streets this year, we have never had such an overwhelming level of support from pro-lifers and the public. The team moved on screen to present the ‘homeshow’ and managed to reach thousands of people, racking up an immense level of support and online engagement.”
Project Truth is a youth-led initiative of SPUC Scotland which was first established in 2013.
Each summer the Project Truth team, consisting of young pro-life activists aged between 18-30, embarks on a roadshow around the towns and cities of Scotland. The team provides factual information regarding the development of life in the womb and discusses how abortion impacts unborn children, their mothers and wider society.
Team members rising to the challenge of a summer ‘homeshow’
In order to comply with the COVID-19 safety regulations, the 2020 summer roadshow was transformed into a ‘homeshow’ which boasted a range of exclusive video content from the youth participants.
The online event took place between August 10th and 14th and hosted an audience of over 22,000 people. The initiative included 28 videos delivered by Project Truth team members.
The ‘homeshow’ kicked off with a dynamic promotional video featuring some of the youth participants and an explanation for the new online layout. Following the release of the promotional video, a unique set of ‘meet the team’ videos were released. These videos captured the unique personalities of the 2020 team members and provided the audience at home with the opportunity to meet and engage with them.
Over the course of five days, the team members participated in a range of video content labelled ‘let’s talk about’, which involved team members engaging in online discussions by addressing some of the most common questions which arise on a regular summer roadshow. The diverse points of conversation included the issue of bodily autonomy, the development of unborn children and even the presence of men in the pro-life movement.
Project Truth coordinator and team member, Eden Linton, provided an exclusive set of ‘myth busting’ videos which debunked some of the most controversial stereotypes about the pro-life community.
Ms Grant said: “It was with sadness that we had to make the decision to cancel the Project Truth Roadshow this year but I'm really proud that our team members still wanted to do all they could to bring the pro-life message to as many people as possible this summer.
“I'm exceptionally impressed at how team members - established and new - rose to the challenge, arranged their own talking points and manged the recordings of their subject areas. It shows how privileged we are to have such a determined and articulate group of young people working alongside us - they are an asset to not only SPUC but the greater pro-life movement.”
Breaking down the silence and encouraging conversation
In 2019 Project Truth was honoured with the Michael Bell Memorial Award and has now grown to become the most prominent pro-life street outreach group in the UK.
21-year-old team member, Thomas McCourt said: “When discovering that the 2020 summer roadshow couldn’t go ahead I think the whole team was disappointed.
“But the online ‘homeshow’ turned out to be an absolutely fantastic experience which allowed us to deliver the pro-life message to an incredible number of people whilst specifically addressing some of the most pressing pro-life issues.
“In the UK the issue of abortion has been shrouded in silence, with very few people willing or able to engage in a conversation about it. Each year Project Truth helps to break down that barrier and encourages the public to engage in a wider discussion regarding the humanity of unborn children, the reality of abortion and the circumstances of those facing a crisis pregnancy.
“I truly believe that through one conversation at a time and through initiatives like Project Truth, we can change hearts and minds and restore a culture of life back into our country.”