Click here to view the films being shown in the college canteen Click here to view Czes, who works in the Acute Medical Unit, posing in front of a film about her. (Films about the project, made by Adrian Pennington of the hospital's Communication Department, were shown throughout the day. Click here to view the full list.
Click here for more about The Box's Dutch Flowers exhibition - open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am-5pm and selected bank holidays until 7 January 2024.
The exhibition explores the development of Dutch flower painting from its beginnings in the early 1600s to its blossoming in the late 1700s. The engagement space at the gallery features Tom Pilston's photos, taken as part of our 'I Packed This Myself' project, which explores the experiences of migrant workers making journeys to the UK and the pressures on local communities.
Rawda very kindly wrote children's names in Arabic and we learned how to say 'Hello', How are you?' 'Thank you' and 'Goodbye' in her language. To welcome any new students who might arrive from an Arabic-speaking country.This is part of I PACKED THIS MYSELF, our project funded by Cornwall Council. We are working to break down prejudice and increase understanding of people from different backgrounds - from overseas - who have come to Cornwall to live and work.
A wonderful afternoon at the Hall for Cornwall to round off this season's THROUGH MY LENS workshops. A splendid cream tea - and a chance to meet the Royal Cornwall Hospital's Communications Team member Adrian Pennington, who is going to make a film about our workshops and the photos taken. Watch this space for more.
In the meantime, we simply enjoyed the time together - and seeing each other again. A huge thank you to the Hall for Cornwall for arranging such a feast - and also for allowing us to venture into the theatre and have a photograph taken on the stage. It was the first time many - me included - had been backstage. High spirits on a sunny Friday in Truro as we waved 'Hello' to Cornwall (see above).
Very many thank yous to all involved- not least to photography tutor Mike Newman who worked so hard to make this project happen. The Hall for Cornwall for welcoming us in the cafe and theatre. The Royal Cornwall Museum and Penlee House, Penzance, for allowing us to visit and take photographs.
Biggest thanks of all, though, are due to our keen photographers who took time out of demanding and busy schedules at the hospital to join us and learn a little more about Cornwall.
Just a few comments today:
"I learned a lot during this activity, especially the rich history of Cornwall."
"The most exciting part for me was when we went to Penzance. Aside from the photography session, we were able to have a bond over coffee, and a small chit chat outside our workplace made us happy."
"I hope there will be more workshops as these are a breather for us."
Our sixth workshop with international NHS workers at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske, took us to Penzance. We were unlucky with the weather! But escaped the rain at Penlee House Gallery where we saw familiar paintings. Some depicted scenes we later photographed when the sun (just) started to shine!
Our new project - Through My Lens - throws a spotlight on the people who work so hard for the NHS - and save our lives. Click here to read about our workshop in Falmouth. And here to see how we started off in Truro. We're planning a short film and exhibition of photographs produced.
A big thank you to Katie Herbert at Penlee House Gallery for welcoming our visit.
A wonderful day today at St Mary's Primary School, Penzance, with Rawda Alater originally from Syria, who came to the UK as a refugee about six years ago. Rawda told students (of all ages) how it was to experience war, and have to leave your own country. She answered questions - however difficult - about missing her family and life in the UK.
Children learned how to say yes, no, hello and thank you in Arabic - so that if an Arabic speaker came to the school they could at least try and make contact. Rawda explained that this would have made a huge difference to her when she arrived in Truro.
Rawda also wrote children's names in Arabic. This was very popular!
Everyone had language postcards to take home to practise phrases once school had ended....
So delighted that Mirabela Robatzchi - part of our team since before Covid - was able to attend the most recent meeting of the Cornwall Equalities and Diversity Network. Mirabela has worked so hard on our project about migration and international workers in Cornwall - I PACKED THIS MYSELF. So it was absolutely right that she should make the presentation. And it was a good one!
In summary:
I Packed This Myself/Migration - Mirabela
Presentation of latest update from Bridging Arts as requested in previous meeting.
Mirabela Robatzchi (MR) works on project with Susan (Roberts).
“I packed this myself” started as a discussion about migration
More people on the move than ever and more than ever coming to Cornwall. Aim of
project to break down prejudice around those coming to live and work in Cornwall
and increase importance of role played by those born overseas who live and work
here.
Migrant workers previously came for things such as daffodil picking – now in
hospitality, care workers and range of other areas which need work force in Cornwall
Suitcases – find out from migrant workers what they would take with them in their
suitcase that shows something about their heritage, choices etc. Slides shown which
revealed what people had packed.
Art showing range of issues raised was presented. Exhibits have been used in school
and assemblies to discuss with children (y2 – y6). This was to try and explain this to
children who may comprehend better and relay information or findings to their own
families. Secondary schools not as successful.
Used cards with basic phrases in English and Portuguese, Romanian etc. to aid
translation.
Asked children what they would take if you had to make a long journey, to open the
discussion. Went very well with children interacting fully and designed their own
‘suitcases’ with what they would take. Also, how would it make you feel?
Watched video on link. The Welcome Song video was taken at summer camp as
diverse group of children in attendance and Susan from Bridging Arts
Project continues to run. Susan tried secondary schools
but not receptive. Would need to be part of a curriculum session rather than
assembly. Mirabela has history in conflict resolution in adolescents and it would
assist in avoiding conflicts which arise from racism in Cornwall. This would then
support the fight against bullying in schools and also encourage children to be aware
of others and awareness of a need for equality.
A wonderful workshop yesterday in Truro, Cornwall, with international nurses from the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske. Many have not been here for many months, so this was a great introduction to the city - led by our photography tutor Mike Newman. Thank you Hall for Cornwall for providing such a splendid cream tea (what an introduction to Cornish cuisine!) and allowing us to visit the theatre.
A full report on www.bridging-arts.org
There are several native Arabic speakers at the school and they helped today. Here is student from Syrian now in Year 6 having a conversation with a classmate - a few easy phrases that the native English speaker learned in minutes.
We had our Arabic language postcards to hand out - and we realised that some children had been practising overnight with siblings we had worked with yesterday.
It was wonderful to see the children's enthusiasm - and eagerness to learn.
A valuable morning at Falmouth Primary School in west Cornwall this morning with the wonderful Rawda Alater, who spoke about her life in Syria and her subsequent experience in the UK. She answered children's questions - and even taught a bit of Arabic.
In at least two classes there were Arabic speakers. In one, a child from Saudi Arabia, spoke no English at all and was delighted to be able to chat with Rawda. As the rest of us listened, we realised what it must feel like to be 'the one' who doesn't understand. It's a strange and disconcerting experience - and one that non-English speaking children must often come up against when they first arrive here.
Rawda spoke about the difference between schools in this country and in Syria. In Syria, children don't have hot dinners at school. The opposite - they take a packed lunch of flat bread and maybe cheese. Houses don't have curtains and carpets. It's hot. Life is different.
Rawda explained how she felt when she arrived as a refugee in Truro from Lebanon, where she'd been living for five years since she left the war in Syria in 2010.
She was afraid to open the door, she said, because she didn't understand a word of English.
Together this morning we learned how to say hello, how are you! And with the help of Arabic speaking pupils, wrote a few words in Arabic on the flip chart.
Mirabela from Bucharest, who has been working with us since before the pandemic, led the assembly. And she had two willing young helpers who had arrived at the school from Romania just a couple of years earlier, themselves without any English....
We left language postcards at the school so that children could take them home to practise the phrases that they had learned.
A damp but exciting afternoon in Truro, west Cornwall, on Wednesday 24 August. Overseas nurses from the Royal Cornwall Hospital met up with Penzance-based photographer Mike Newman for a photography workshop with a difference. The nurses - here to provide an essential boost to hospital staff - had a unique and much-needed chance to meet and interact with local people - and learn some new skills at the same time.
After a few top tips from Mike and a cream tea at the Hall for Cornwall, Michael Apas, Chloe Mickelson and Ace Gonzales– all from the Philippines – ventured out despite the rain into the market to meet traders, chat and take photographs of them and their stalls.
“It’s a nice link up with nursing,” said Michael afterwards. “Nursing is not just a science, there’s art in it as well. And the same with photography - there's science alongside the art.
‘’This is something that I also learned when I was doing Interpretive Phenomenological research back home: It is that a picture could resound meaningful messages that is hard to explain. Often, we have plethora of experiences in line with our work and some of those experiences needed not to be explained but to be felt.’’
‘’This Photography session is a good avenue wherein we could enhance our ways of translating interactions to a deeper and meaningful level. Isn’t it amazing that we are all complete strangers coming from a different background and perspective, but we are unified with art? It only goes to show the power of photography and how it becomes a unifying force that could bridge the gap, and breaks the barriers of culture, language, and ethnicity.’’
Workshop leader Mike Newman agreed and was highly impressed by the results.
“I wanted you to meet people you might not normally meet,” he said to the nurses afterwards. "But also, for them to meet people they would not normally meet and chat to – you!”
There will be more photography workshops this autumn and photographs taken will be displayed in an exhibition. The workshops are part of our I Packed This Myself project - breaking down barriers and increasing understanding of the vital role played by people born overseas in the Cornish economy – and in particular in the health service.
In Penzance, Cornwall, today (Monday 4 April 2022) with Mirabela originally from Bucharest, Romania, delivering an assembly to a hall full of children. The theme? The importance of welcoming people from overseas – with different cultures, backgrounds and languages – to our communities. And encouraging empathy and acceptance.
Mirabela, who now lives in Helston, arrived with her family in the UK five years ago. Her seven-year-old son spoke only two words of English ('red' and 'cat') when he started Primary School locally.
So many of the children today asked questions about how this might feel. Was he scared? How did he cope? Was he excited? How did he make friends? How could things have been made easier for him?
This is part of our Cornwall Council-funded project I PACKED THIS MYSELF, increasing understanding of the many people from overseas arriving in Cornwall to work and play an important role in the local economy.
And - as Mirabela remarked before we started - whoever would have imagined that there would be a war in Europe in 2022. And that we would be welcoming refugees from Ukraine.
In Penzance, Cornwall, today (Monday 4 April 2022) with Mirabela originally from Bucharest, Romania, delivering an assembly to a hall full of children. The theme? The importance of welcoming people from overseas – with different cultures, backgrounds and languages – to our communities. And encouraging empathy and acceptance.
Mirabela, who now lives in Helston, arrived with her family in the UK five years ago. Her seven-year-old son spoke only two words of English ('red' and 'cat') when he started Primary School locally.
So many of the children today asked questions about how this might feel. Was he scared? How did he cope? Was he excited? How did he make friends? How could things have been made easier for him?
This is part of our Cornwall Council-funded project I PACKED THIS MYSELF, increasing understanding of the many people from overseas arriving in Cornwall to work and play an important role in the local economy.
And - as Mirabela remarked before we started - whoever would have imagined that there would be a war in Europe in 2022. And that we would be welcoming refugees from Ukraine.
A gallery of cardboard cut-out suitcases created by children at Parc Eglos Primary School in Helston, who attended our assemblies and workshops in January. They thought hard about the things that they would take with them, if they had to go on a long journey.
We thought it would be particularly relevant in view of our work in Cornwall on I PACKED THIS MYSELF - encouraging understanding of all the people from overseas who play such a vital role in the local economy.
The concert was led by Michelle Hromin, a Croatian-American clarinettist who played in both Babylon, Our Own by Aleksandra Vrebalov and 2 Suitcases by Mary Kouyoumdjian.
