AN event to discuss a showing of an acclaimed film was able to give the audience an insight into the true story behind it.

The Ritz Cinema, Thirsk, hosted the informal talk following the screening of A United Kingdom, with cinema volunteer Chris Purser, retired diplomat Jeremy Bell and local GP Dr Richard Hiles entertaining the audience with their personal experiences of time in Botswana.

A United Kingdom is a British made film, based on a true story, detailing the relationship between Seretse Khama – at the time Prince of Bechuanaland, now Botswana – and English woman Ruth Williams, who meet in London in 1948.

The couple have to defy their relatives, apartheid and the British empire to finally assume power and independence for the country.

Mr Bell was posted to Botswana in 1982 and knew one of the real-life main characters, Ruth Williams, played in the film by Rosamund Pike, who became Lady Khama.

Mr Purser was working as a Studio Manager with the BBC World Service in 1966 and was granted an attachment to the BBC Central African Relay Station in Francistown, Botswana. Mr Hiles spent a six month sabbatical in central Botswana in 2015, leaving the Lambert Medical Centre to work as a travelling doctor.

Ritz spokesman Marc Davies said: "This is a great example of how the Ritz can be flexible and involve the audience. There must be lots of local organisations out there that could take advantage of this sort of opportunity."

  • Anyone interested who would like to do something similar please contact the cinema via the web site www.ritzcinema.co.uk - or call at the box office during cinema open hours.