Reminders of Cornish migration

Bank Holiday weekend in west Cornwall. Still not much sign of the sun. For the first time for ages walk around the graveyard at Crowan. In our I Packed This Myself workshops, we have often mentioned the fact that the Cornish are no strangers to migration - and all its challenges. Thousands of Cornish people left Cornwall for California, South Africa and Australia when the tin and copper mining industry collapsed in the 19th century.

It's a beautiful time of year.  But sad to think that so many of these journeys ended overseas. The mortality rate was high.

This miner died at Gold Hill, Nevada.
















And these long dead relatives of mine very far from home .  Thomas Roberts aged 40 in California and his son, aged 21, on his passage to New Granada in 1853. New Granada, where there were important silver mines, subsequently became modern day Colombia.

Saturday night meeting and Inga's birthday

A meeting at SEF (Southern England Farms), Leedstown, with Inga and Vadim who will be working with me on workshops in schools around Cornwall next week. It's the end of a long day for them both - a Saturday night. And in addition Inga's birthday! Am so pleased that they are willing and able to help. Discover, too, new things about them both. Vadim was junior dance champion of Latvia. Inga is a champion runner (representing her home town, Vilnius).
Outside it's a cold summer evening.

The local parish magazine is out and in it is news of The Hidden Life of a Cornish Farm, shot by Inga and three fellow workers. Grass roots coverage. Great that this way, at least, local people will hear about the neighbours they tend to have little contact with...

Making plans for workshops in Cornish schools

We'll be at Treviglas (Newquay),  then Camborne at the start of June.  Inga (who works at SEF Leedstown and made The Hidden Life of a Cornish Farm with three colleagues) and Vadims, also  from SEF, will be working with me.

Two news items about migration in The Times today. "Tensions rise as jobless migrants are blamed for the pain in Spain."  A report from Vic, an industrial town north of Barcelona, which is struggling to cope with hundreds of unemployed people. The vast majority are immigrants - Moroccans and sub-Saharan Africans. At least 10,000 had been working in the town - doing the jobs that others did not want. When the Spanish ecnomic bubble burst, they faced destitution. In reaction: people are calling for immigration to be controlled. Spain's equivalent of the BNP (Platform for Catalonia) are whipping up anti-immigrant feeling about this - ignoring the fact that the economy previously depended on their input.

The second reports on Home Office figures: Record immigration surge as more than 200,000 get British passports in a year." The surge last year was 58%. It's the highest since records were first published 47 years ago. Of those receiving a British passport, more than half come from Africa and the Indian subcontinent.  One possible clause? The Times suggests a rush to apply for citizenship befre rules linking it to earnings, skills and education take effect.

Otherwise keeping an eye on recent publications about migrant workers and immigration.

Recently from the Migrants' Rights Network.... Immigration documents checks and workplace raids: a negotiators guide

They say ...

"Ever tried an immigration officer’s uniform on for size? Unless you’ve worked for the UK Border Agency itself, we would imagine probably not.

But if you’re an employer in the UK, you are supposed to have been getting pretty familiar with the business of checking immigration documents, particularly since tougher regulations on irregular working came into force in February 2008. The hike in UKBA workplace raids since then has also increased the spotlight on workers’ immigration status.

Bringing immigration enforcement into British workplaces, the Government has presented new challenges to activists, trade unions, migrants, migrant organisations and employers.

These challenges can only be met with proactive negotiation with employers to ensure that only necessary document checks are carried out, and that these are carried out consistently and fairly. This should deny any unscrupulous employer the opportunity to exploit migrant workers, to divide workers or to threaten those that stand up for their rights.”

And John Vincent's Network ebulletin, as usual, is full of news.

Migration issues – Government, Government Agencies and Local Government

Longitudinal study of migrant workers in the East of England

 

Focusing on the perspective of migrant workers in the Eastern region (Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambs, Herts, Essex and Beds.) Studying: factors that influence decisions on coming to and length of stay in the UK; barriers to full participation in the regional economy; and, barriers to social inclusion in the local community; how these change over time and whether public policy has an influential role on these decisions.”

“Is the progressive case for migration truly progressive?”

 

Article by Tim Finch, the Head of Migration, Equalities and Citizenship at ippr.

  

New books for young people featuring migration

Gillian Cross. Where I belong (OUP, 2010), a story involving a Somali family - read a review in the Guardian by Mary Hoffman.

A misty morning in west Cornwall

A misty morning in west Cornwall for our first workshop directly with children of migrant workers and their friends. Children at Pool School have volunteered, in pairs, to attend.
We arrive first thing and work all day. Games first to break the ice. A prize for the pair building the highest tower.

People are so creative that we award a further prize for the most imaginative structure - architecturally.

Then we get to work, making cases of metaphorical journeys. Children have come from Poland, Latvia and Lithuania to the school. Ewa Cimochowska, who has been helping throughout, has come along to help

People draw pictures from their journeys to this country. We discuss problems faced - difficulties and how were best tackled.   
We've brought our map suitcases to help things along - here pictured with new cases.

One of the aims of this workshop is to come up with an Action Plan, that might be used in this school and elsewhere to help new arrivals - children who don't speak English, find it tough to make friends and experience difficulties.
All sorts of suggestions are made...
It is a very lively team.

Who have their own ideas of how to brainstorm! They draw a picture of an imaginary Greek girl, called Luella, who arrives at the school.

Then imagine her thoughts and feelings.
A good day. Lunch in the school canteen and the first time for ages I have had chocolate sponge and custard.

Later call in at SEF (Southern England Farms) Leedstown, to see the four filmmakers whose film premiered at I Packed This Myself in Truro in March. We discuss future plans.

It's a fairly chilly early summer evening - slightly damp and the trees (just) in full leaf.

Drive past daffodils fields that are now being prepared for the next crop.

Uncertain future for meat processing workers in Bodmin

Hear that Tulip Food, the giant international meat processing company and the largest employer in Bodmin, Cornwall, is considering major job cuts. Many of the workers at the plant are Portuguese and have worked with us on I Packed This Myself. More on This Is Cornwall.