The new magazine Annie puts Eindhoven volunteers in the spotlight. Last weekend the first issue was unveiled in Muziekgebouw Frits Philips Eindhoven.
The magazine is the counterpart of magazine Frits, which writes about top executives and other Eindhoven residents who can count themselves among the elite of Eindhoven. Annie tells the stories of ordinary people who volunteer for their fellow man. It is not a glossy magazine, but shows the reality of everyday life. For example, the paper of the magazine is not glossy and the photos are black and white. They show every wrinkle and therefore the ‘realness’ of the people in great detail.
During the reception with the unveiling of the first Annie in Muziekgebouw, almost all the people portrayed were present. Some are speechless, they find their own portrait so beautiful. “I really think it is an honour to be in the magazine, and I am also very proud of it”, Noor Belgraver says. Noor is a retired lady who voluntarily cleans up the rubbish at waste containers. She decided to take action when she saw the mess, and has now made it her hobby. However, she does not consider herself a hero. “I just started. What I do, that’s where the best conversations come from”.
“Usually, the volunteers do their work in all modesty, behind the scenes”, Mieke Verhees, Alderman for housing, neighbourhoods, space and services, says. She supported the initiative with a donation. Verhees believes that the volunteers should be put in the spotlight because they make a valuable contribution to the city. “The people in Annie deserve our attention”.
The people portrayed in the magazine all have a different reason for choosing volunteer work. Peter, for example, cooks for the homeless, because he knows what they are going through. “These people are forgotten, while they are all part of society. I was homeless myself and was helped back to the right place”.
The new Eindhoven magazine Annie is not for sale but can be obtained free of charge from cultural institutions and the Library. It is not clear whether more issues will be published.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Bob
