Great Sunday at the V&A

Been a colourful day at the V&A today..... I went along for more of the refugee week but alongside all the events is the opening of the exhibition for Frida Kahlo an ionic Mexican artist.... I really do need to go along to this in the next few weeks... it is attracting me with all the colour. V&A - Frida Kahlo  Made some nice friends from the followers - such great people and interested in my Family Link Up project, linking up my Syrian family that I befriend too.. Family Link Up

The Kashmir Shawl - read

Been a relaxing afternoon reading The Kashmir Shawl by Rosie Thomas. Harper Collins

"In 1938, young bride Nerys Watkins accompanies her missionary husband on a posting to India. Up in Srinagar, the British live on beautiful wooden houseboats and dance and gossip as if there is no war. But when the men are sent away to fight Nerys is caught up in a dangerous friendship.
Years later, when Mair Ellis clears out her father’s house, she finds an antique shawl with a lock of child’s hair wrapped up in its folds. Tracing her grandparents’ roots back to Kashmir, Mair uncovers a story of great love and great sacrifice."

I love the descriptives of when the shawl was found:-

"The tissue paper was very old and limp.When she folded it back her first impression was of wonderful colours. Silvery blues and greens sprang at her, like a distillation of lake water and spring skies, with starbursts of lavender and vermilion flowers caught in the depths. She looked more closely and saw the intricacy of the woven pattern; the sumptuous curved teardrop shapes with curled tips, the ferny fronds and branched stems and tiny five petalled flowers." p.3  

The story is taking me to Kashmir and the images remind me of my time in India so loving this book and glad I found it in the bargain basket at WH Smiths in Uxbridge the other day.  

V&A a new adventure for me

 I need to spend more time at the V&A as there is a lot of interesting display and workshops and lectures going on .... so planning to re visit on Sunday and join in on one of the workshops.... and the and most is free entry so with my Freedom pass to travel this is great for me. V&A website

Refugee week V&A museum

Been a very interesting evening at the V&A London in this, the Refugee week.  V&A Refugee week I was able to meet up with Juan DeGaldo, one of my artist activist friends that uses the arts to get across the pain and message of being refugees.
Tonight he had put together a compilation of films to look at stories through the eyes of child refugees... it was very moving.  One film really impacted on me called Saturday Morning.... a young boy that used to love Saturday morning lay in and the sound of mum trying to wake him up with music and tickle is feet that were peeping out of the covers.  Then there is this shift into the now distorted world after airstrikes on his home... and now he no longer likes Saturday mornings as his memory of loss is clear. 

 This is the link to Juan website for more about him as an artist Juan delGado this is another link to his work with a project called Qisetna: talking Syria. Talking Syria  I am grateful to Juan for his help with my project Family Link Up and helping to befriend Dante one of my Syrian refugees... They get on very well together sharing ideas, creative writing and making reports. Good that I can link up my friends and activists....as there is much to do and share together, through social media, skype and travel to visit. Family Link Up

There was a good team from the UNHCR with a stand and virtual reality footage of Za'atari camp in Jordan. This was a good link up too as they remember me from parliament and my attendance to the Turkish meeting plus I do make reports about my Family Link Up to the London office.

Mini allotment in the British Red Cross garden

 Was lovely to get back to the British Red Cross centre in Hackney today....after my illness.... The centre does a lot of good work helping the homeless, the poor and refugees..... There is a small space in the back and one of the volunteers with the service users has put this wonderful mini but very productive allotment together....from corn to strawberries Marrows and cucumber...... The Tomato plants have flourish and there will be a good crop soon.... The cook has already been using some of the produce to feed those that come for help and are in need.  But it makes it look so homely too..... and the centre is like a home to use for some rest, cooked food, groceries for the week, washing facilities for clothes and a stock of donated clothes to change into.  Showers and some days there is a massage therapist.... there are workshops for creative writing and some arts and crafts...English lessons and IT groups.  The V&A refugee week as featured some of the work done.... and there is a compilation of poems too from the creative writing group..... I have missed all this with the pneumonia and recovery period....Tomorrow there is an Open Day for visitors to come along and see the facilities and also if they wish to join and help out. 
Putting Kindness into Action- Learn more about the British Red Cross

Geese fun today in the park

The young geese were brave till me and the other tourist came close then they bottled out... started running and squawking as if to say "mama mama mama" then running towards their mum ... so sweet 

 A seagull got in on the act and was posing for me... 

Good Natural Medicine book