Scab

Yorkshire, England, 1986. The British Miner’s strike is in full swing. The local community is torn in two, those who strike and those who choose to work! Jack Henley is a family man; he has a loving wife and two young children, the eldest of which, Michelle, is terminally ill. Jack has to make a difficult decision, to work and break the strike in order to support and care for his dying daughter. Despite his circumstances Jack receives no support from the local community, as far as they are concerned he is a traitor and a ‘scab’. The only support he has is from his family, the steel-like resilience and passion of Sarah, his wife. She is a strong woman and without her love and encouragement the Henley family would have given up long ago. Time is running out for Michelle, she needs a blood transfusion, and even though they have opted for private health treatment, no donor match has been found. They must now face the only option they have left, their eight year old son Tom. He has to go through the painful process of a bone marrow transplant. Barry Chambers is the ring leader of the tormentors, the village bully. He has taken a particular dislike to Jack, and with his followers in tow has decided to make his life a living hell. During a striking riot Barry corners Sarah and assaults her. Jack finds out and goes after Barry; a fight breaks out but is stopped. Barry now has unfinished business with Jack! The night before the transplant, Jack and Sarah enjoy a well earned night out. Michelle is in hospital and Sarah’s mum offers to babysit Tom. Barry Chambers callously set’s fire to the Henley house, believing it is empty. Sarah’s mum dies in the fire. Sarah is emotionally distraught, Jack seeks retribution. During a bloody, no holds barred riot between Police and striking miners, Jack seeks out Barry. He finds him, and in a fit of rage they fight, they are stopped by the Police but then turns their anger onto them. Jack goes to prison; Sarah is left alone to pick up the pieces. Six years later Jack is released from prison and greeted by his loving, ever faithful wife and a healthy young woman, his daughter Michelle. All the local mines are closed and the strike ended, leaving the pit villages in disarray. Jack tries to rebuild his life and forget the tragic events of the strike and the devastating loss of his son. Unfortunately the scar runs deep in the community and Jack’s road to recovery looks doubtful. The story ends on a sombre note...’once a scab, always a scab’. Scab is a gritty story set against the backdrop of a troubled time in British history. Premise A Yorkshire miner must work during the bitter 1984 miners strike so his terminally ill daughter can have the bone marrow transplant she needs to save her life. Story Yorkshire, England, 1986. The British Miner’s strike is in full swing. The local community is torn in two, those who strike and those who choose to work! Jack Henley is a family man; he has a loving wife and two young children, the eldest of which, Michelle, is terminally ill. Jack has to make a difficult decision, to work and break the strike in order to support and care for his dying daughter. Despite his circumstances Jack receives no support from the local community, as far as they are concerned he is a traitor and a ‘scab’. The only support he has is from his family, the steel-like resilience and passion of Sarah, his wife. She is a strong woman and without her love and encouragement the Henley family would have given up long ago. Time is running out for Michelle, she needs a blood transfusion, and even though they have opted for private health treatment, no donor match has been found. They must now face the only option they have left, their eight year old son Tom. He has to go through the painful process of a bone marrow transplant. Barry Chambers is the ring leader of the tormentors, the village bully. He has taken a particular dislike to Jack, and with his followers in tow has decided to make his life a living hell. During a striking riot Barry corners Sarah and assaults her. Jack finds out and goes after Barry; a fight breaks out but is stopped. Barry now has unfinished business with Jack! The night before the transplant, Jack and Sarah enjoy a well earned night out. Michelle is in hospital and Sarah’s mum offers to babysit Tom. Barry Chambers callously set’s fire to the Henley house, believing it is empty. Sarah’s mum dies in the fire. Sarah is emotionally distraught, Jack seeks retribution. During a bloody, no holds barred riot between Police and striking miners, Jack seeks out Barry. He finds him, and in a fit of rage they fight, they are stopped by the Police but then turns their anger onto them. Jack goes to prison; Sarah is left alone to pick up the pieces. Six years later Jack is released from prison and greeted by his loving, ever faithful wife and a healthy young woman, his daughter Michelle. All the local mines are closed and the strike ended, leaving the pit villages in disarray. Jack tries to rebuild his life and forget the tragic events of the strike and the devastating loss of his son. Unfortunately the scar runs deep in the community and Jack’s road to recovery looks doubtful. The story ends on a sombre note...’once a scab, always a scab’. Scab is a gritty story set against the backdrop of a troubled time in British history.