What the Leaders did while the students were on the Drama days Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th July

Monday all day and Tuesday mornings gave the leaders a chance to follow up areas of interest while the students were working on building a drama production.

On Monday, Chotta spent the day at Victoria Junior School in Workington with his host, Becca. He found out first hand how this school works, having been in communication from his own primary school Masebe in Rungwe District since last summer.

Ivan and Mama Mahembe spent most of the day at one of our smallest, most rural Primary schools, working with the 2 classes there (Juniors in the morning and Infants after lunch). When I arrived early to pick them up I found them in the classroom with the infants, with Google Earth on the screen, looking at places in Rungwe, and bombarding Ivan with questions, which he was happy to answer. They were hanging on to his every word!!

We then set off to meet the Lord Mayor of Copeland along with his wife, the Lady Mayoress. Lively discussions ensued about how local authorities deliver services in our 2 countries, with Ivan quizzing Geoff Garrity, the Copeland Mayor, about how things work in the UK in general and Copeland in particular. Geoff donned the Mayoral robe and chain, photos were taken, then it was Ivan’s turn. He certainly looks the part!

On Tuesday, the 3 leaders visited the Hensingham Centre for adults with learning disabilities. Mama Mahembe and Mary had been part of a project in 1995 to build raised garden beds, so Mama Mahembe  had been asking to visit again. The beds still look lovely and she met Jimmy, a service user who had worked on the project with her back in the day. All 3 leaders were impressed with the Grassroots garden centre project that developed from this initial horticultural project.

Then on to one of the Day Centres for elderly people where Mary works as a musician for Sunbeams Music Trust, as our  Tanzanian visitors had asked to see what provision we have for our older, frailer citizens . The most fantastic music session took place, with the day centre members and the Tanzanians swapping music, joy and laughter – and a lot of dancing too.

A quick refreshment break at Café West, then off to rejoin the students to see their show.

Mary