Guest Post: Who or What is RISE?

Photographer, videographer and content creator Marc Dirtyhands talks about his RISE encounter

Marc Dirtyhands

When you do some digging on the city, you’ll find that we have a lot of very, very creative people. We’re a hub of creativity. Street artists, photographers, film makers, actors, we have it all.

But no one is like RISE.

The fact that RISE have even approached me to write this is crazy. It’s like being messaged by a superhero. You don’t know their true identity. You want to. But at the same time, you don’t. There’s a magic behind it.

Just before Christmas, RISE had posted to Instagram to announce that they’d just left a number of Newport crest style baubles on the Christmas tree in the high street. I was already out in the car and only 2 minutes away. We diverted towards the city centre. It was a Sunday morning, around 9am. Town was surely empty. Surely I was going to get one.

We pulled up and I walked towards the tree. I was right, there was no one about. Town was completely empty. I approached the tree but no baubles. I had a look around for anyone that looked suspicious. Was I being watched? Was it a trick? A social experiment? But nope, no one around. I checked the tree again but nothing. I walked away. As I walked away, a bearded gent appeared from nowhere and called me over.

As I got closer, he handed me a bauble, took a selfie with me and walked away. I asked a couple questions as he walked away but he denied all knowledge of knowing RISE. He just, walked away. I walked in the other direction just chuckling to myself about the whole scenario. Bauble in hand, I got back in the car and went for breakfast.

Had I just met the man, the mystery? A RISE team member? Or just a geezer that had picked up one too many baubles for himself and felt sorry for me, so gave me one of his?

I very rarely leave the house without my camera. This all happened the one time I did.

Of course I did.

Until we meet again….

Marc Dirtyhands is a Liverpool supporter, curry lover, father, husband, visual content creator. Not necessarily in that order. You can check out his work on his YouTube channel and Instagram page