Last assembly and another departure from Camborne Station

Our final assembly this week at Richard Lander School, Truro. Very keen and energetic staff. And what a building.

Later my father (far off in the distance down the platform) drops me off at Camborne Station, for the 423pm train back up to Paddington. Sometimes feel I have said too many goodbyes at Camborne Station.

Famous arrivals and departures in Camborne ...
A.K. Hamilton Jenkin in The Cornish Miner (another book for the reading list?) talks about the platforms of Camborne and Redruth stations being packed with miners leaving for overseas after the industry collapsed in Cornwall in the 19th century.
And my father remembers a train arriving in Camborne Station from London in the war years, packed with evacuees from London who were 'chosen' by waiting families.

Meeting at Pool School, assembly at Richard Lander, then back to Camborne

An early morning meeting at Pool School with Ola Paluch (just arrived back in Cornwall after Easter in Krakow. A 33-hour trip by bus and train. She was due to fly on Saturday but her flight was cancelled because of the ash cloud). A cold morning but the palm trees look tropical. We plan a day-long workshop in May for migrant worker children in the school

Then a lunchtime assembly at Richard Lander School, Truro. Our third this week.

Ewa preparing...

And then back to Camborne to meet Andrew Yates, Social Responsibility Officer for the Diocese of Truro. He borrowed the suitcases for a workshop yesterday in Falmouth with industrial chaplains. A quick handover in the car park of the Elim Centre.

Assembly at Richard Lander and an old friend

The scene set for an assembly at Richard Lander School, Truro, our second of four there this week. Ewa did one on her own yesterday: this time I am here to help. Good to be back after the very successful workshops we did there a couple of months ago with Vicky Downing.
Just before we start an old friend from Helston, Russell Pascoe, appears - a highlight of the afternoon. Russell has taught music at the school for many years. He is a pillar of musical endeavour in Cornwall in fact. He points out that we are very old friends as we have known each other for most of our lives.
Another highlight of the afternoon, later on, is icecream at McDonalds where Ewa and I repair for our usual review meeting. It is hot and we can sit outside.

Summer term and back in Cornwall

Back in Cornwall as we have assemblies to deliver at Richard Lander School, Truro this week. Plus a meeting at Pool to discuss plans to work with migrant worker children there.

I cannot go to the assembly at Richard Lander as it coincides with the funeral of a dear Aunt (not far off - at the Crematorium in Truro.) It is a beautiful spring day.
Ewa holds the fort and does the assembly on her own. Will join her tomorrow afternoon for the next one.
Call in at Diocesan House to drop off three suitcases for Social Responsibility Officer Andrew Yates, who is doing a workshop with chaplains in Falmouth tomorrow.
And later drop in at SEF Leedstown to say hello to the English class which contributed so much to the exhibition and work at Penair School, Truro.
Try to call in at Reawla to buy milk on the way home but the shop is now closed in the evenings. This is a bitter blow. No option but to go to Lidl, Hayle.

St Enoder, a meeting and a workshop at Richard Lander

Early for a meeting at Pentreath, a charity working on mental health issues. Take a walk around the graveyard at St Enoder and see snowdrops, clearly not deterred by the cold snap.
A good meeting with Tamsin and Magda at Pentreath - they are developing very active and engaged groups of BME women in the county. We wonder whether there are ways of linking up our work - it's not quite clear how  at the moment, but we agree to keep in touch. Very nice to see Magda, who featured in our film Short Stories from the Edge, a couple of years ago.
Then to Richard Lander School, Truro. A very inspiring quote in the carpark. "Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I will move the world." Archimedes.

And the spirit of the sculpture continues inside the school.  Citizenship head Vicky Downing is passionate about her subject and has inspired her class of 26 very able year 9 students who are taking their GCSE Citizenship two years early. 

Ewa comes with me to the workshop, with her husband, Waldek. We are all  hugely impressed by these children who have volunteered to come into the workshop after school - and will come again in a couple of weeks when we return to follow up. They are lively, engaged and articulate. We talk about the experience of migration and the things people carry with them in their cases when they set out on significant journeys. We talk about the suitcases created with migrant workers in Cornwall. 
And Ewa has brought a bag with things that she brought to the UK when she first came here four years ago. In it are a selection of objects. A book of Polish history.  A piece of amber, given to her by her grandmother. A wedding present, and a CD.

The students write lists of things that they would take if they decided to leave - or had to leave - Cornwall to start a new life.  Lots say they would take family photos, mobile phones, iPods, jewellery, favourite books...
Vicky starts a discussion. 
Why do they think that sometimes there is hostility against migrant workers?
Answer: "Because some people think 'they are taking our jobs'".
Fair enough - but isn't it the fact that migrant workers are often doing jobs that local people don't want to do?
Answers: "Yes, but people want to do 'interesting' jobs." "We have so much spoonfed and given to us, we think everything should be." 
What do people think about the role of the press - in particular the tabloid press? It seems to help drum up racist attitudes.
Answers: "People might be hateful because they don't know them (migrant workers). It's our responsibility to find out about other people."

Am only sorry that I missed seeing my old friend Russell Pascoe who has taught music at the school for many years. Next time. We are due back in a couple of weeks to continue the discussion.