People attending the Doncaster Conversation Club. Photo: Photo courtesy of Joy Paul.
The conversation club
Joy Paul reports on an inspiring Refugee Week celebration in Doncaster Meeting house
Walking on broken glass? In the Meeting room? How often does this happen? This was the thought that prompted me to consider the newsworthiness of a recent event I attended at Doncaster Meeting house. The Doncaster Conversation Club had conjured up – the word seems appropriate – a spectacular offering for Refugee Week and the Meeting house was buzzing.
The Conversation Club does far more than the name implies. It is attended by a large number of refugees and asylum seekers (and indeed others in need of support) every week and is run by a handful of volunteers, Quaker and otherwise. The Club provides not only an opportunity to speak English to receptive listeners but also access to language classes, to representatives of statutory and voluntary agencies and a whole range of advice and support. It also provides food that is donated by a local supermarket.
All this and more was available at this remarkable event. A wonderful vegetarian and very multicultural lunch was provided, with a few crumbs left once 140 people, of all ages and many nationalities, had passed through. A quiz checked out people’s knowledge of the facts and figures about refugees and asylum seekers. The walking on glass was the opening act from a circus entertainer, who also juggled, did tricks and played the didgeridoo.
Doncaster’s Quirky Choir gave a lively performance of songs from all over the world, in several languages, which had a number of small children dancing happily. An artist had facilitated the production of a beautiful painting on the theme of Home, to which about ten people, including one of the community support officers, had contributed. Its bright colours, lush vegetation and vibrant atmosphere evoked a world far from Doncaster.
The local police community support team were in attendance all day, as were health promotion workers, interpreters and other agencies. A fire engine turned up at the end of the day and was especially popular with small children. Many of the locals had been unaware that Doncaster had a Quaker Meeting house.
The entertainer started his routine. The shoes came off. ‘Stocks off’ muttered the young man next to me. ‘Stocks off? Socks off?’, he turned to me and asked. ‘Socks off’ I confirmed. ‘Shout it out’. So he did. What better ice-breaker for a serious conversation later? I had not previously attended a session of the Conversation Club and came away both overwhelmed by the size of the task and deeply moved by all that is going on.
