I've had a remarkable and moving week, being involved with various activities involving International Refugee Week. On Sunday we took some young lads from Iraq, Iran and Liberia to the Lake District for three days, to rehearse a show about a boy escaping from oppression in his own (fictitious) country, and arriving in Stoke. Illustrated with lots of live music, plus some beautiful recordings I made a year ago of asylum seeker singers in Stoke.
Then on Wednesday we came back to Stoke, and toured the show round primary schools in the area for three days. Three of the cast had been in England for less than six weeks, so it was a fairly mind-blowing experience for them.
    Today we had a big bash for refugees, lots of exotic food, and I invited many local refugee musicians to come and play, and great music and dancing was enjoyed by all. It looked like the United Nations at the party, i couldnt begin to count how many countries were represented.
    Tomorrow(Sunday), to finish the week,we are off to Mddlewich Folk and Boat festival. I am playing with the Boat Band in the main marquee for the evening concert(with the Levellers)...and as it is refugee week we are going to surprise the audience and bring along some very very special guests. So if you are in the region of Middlewich, Cheshire, England, UK, Europe, the World etc etc, come along and enjoy something very unusual.
    Anybody else been involved in anything refugee-ish this week? I hope JOhn from Hull will check in to this thread, I know he's been up to something in Hull today.