Thanks for everyone's stories.The one useful thing we can all do is get instruments to asylum seekers. it doesnt have to cost much, unwqnated guitars, accordions. Drums. the explosive party dancing generated by supplying Kurds with hand-drums has been one of the great joys of my life for many years now, once a week in the Stoke asylum-seekers hostel.
   To continue my earlier accounts of the week, the visit to middlewich Folk and Boat Festival went very well. Particularly good was the afternoon session in the Boar's Head, with many local musicians(plus the lovely Liz from Montana), some of the Steamehead brass players. and Don and Nash from Zimbabwe who came witht us. It was heartening, after a couple of African classics, to see people queuing up to buy the lads drinks....because mostly here in England all we hear is people whining about asylum-seekers stealing our jobs, being a burden on the state, and eating our swans and donkeys. It's wonderful how beautiful music shared in a pub can conquer so many prejudices.