Calling all Northern Rockers

If you are reading this then the chances are that you will be attending the second ‘Northern Rocks’ conference in June. Last year was a mixture of thought, rain, conversation, laughter oh and more rain! It was however, a meeting of like-minded people with one aim – to be the best educators that they can. 

Knowing the sort of people who attended last year I feel hopeful for my plea to you all. As many of you know Debra Kidd and myself visited Kakuma refugee camp in March  –  Debbie's write up can be found on her blog https://debrakidd.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/teaching-in-a-refugee-camp-part-2/ - funds have already been donated to build a new classroom and our aim is to fund as many as we can. I will be running a stall on the day with postcards and images to buy but would also like to run a raffle. Hopefully it can be a raffle with a difference – just 3 prizes – each one a box/hamper – one containing bottles the other books. #bottlesandbooksraffle. and a hamper which has been donated by Belmas which is worth £500. 

 At the moment I have a copy of my book in the books box and nothing else! Yet again I would ask for your help – if you are coming to Northern Rocks and could donate a bottle (can be anything!)  or a book (again can be anything!) please can you tweet (@janeh271) or leave a message on here and let me know  then simply bring your donation on the day.

Here’s to another brilliant day ‘up north’ x

UPDATE MON 4th May
Less than 24 hours on twitter and I have offers of books/bottles from @lisa7pettifer , @debrakidd @hywel_roberts @musicmind @carole_XLIX @realdcameron and even offers of a workshop by @Emmabramley75 

Our Kauma visit and fundraising are supported by 

http://www.wwep.org.uk/ukschools

http://www.independentthinking.co.uk/info/big-i-foundation.aspx

https://www.justgiving.com/ww-ep

Sometimes...

...something happens that just stops you in your tracks, that makes you so proud of a child who has just acted instinctively. This morning I visited an amazing primary school to lead an assembly about Kakuma and the situation that children there find themselves in. At no point did I ask the children to donate anything - we mentioned a non uniform day but that was all. At the end of the assembly a little girl quietly motioned me over and I sat on the floor in front of her. She must only have been 7 or 8. She solemnly took off a white beaded bracelet and handed it to me. 'I want you to give it to one of those children'. With a huge lump in my throat I explained that I couldn't sent 'things' all we could do was raise money and send that. She put her hand in her pocket and pulled out the 7p that was in there and held out her hand. The widows's mite came to mind. Not only had this young girl understood she had been moved to do something herself - not ask an adult for money but to give what she had. I looked at one of the other teachers and wondered which one of us would cry first!
It is humbling to look at how children respond. In a Special school yesterday a young boy said 'we couldn't raise that amount' when we were discussing how much a classroom cost. The response of one of his peers was 'Why not? No one can tell us we can't if we set our minds to it'