I Packed This Myself
Migrant workers play a vital role in the UK economy. They offer valuable skills and often do jobs that no one else wants. In Cornwall, hundreds of migrant workers harvest crops, work in care homes, hotels, meat processing factories, restaurants and schools. The local economy depends on them. An estimated 3,000 migrant workers have arrived in Cornwall since January to pick daffodils.
These workers can face hostility and resentment. In rural Cornwall, due to expensive local housing, workers are often housed in caravans. They can have little contact with local communities, who often lack the opportunity to meet them. I Packed This Myself aims to change that.
We are running workshops and a travelling exhibition of suitcases revealing the background of migrant workers. We can offer schools in Cornwall a limited number of free workshops: to book. email info@bridging-arts.com. To download our Education Pack click here.
We have an exhibition to support this work. Click here to view the show in Camborne .
Maureen Twose of Cornwall Libraries has helped to put together a captivating reading list for use with the project. Click here to download..
Click here for a piece in the Guardian on Short Stories from the Edge, a film shot at the Eden Project, Cornwall, with migrant workers and local people.
To download a flyer about school and youth group workshops, click here..
To view a web gallery featured in the Guardian in 2009 of a show in Camborne, Cornwall, click here.
This project has been showcased by the Commission for Rural Communities as a national example of good practice. Click here to download a report. It has been supported by various funders – most recently, the Migration Impacts Fund through Communities and Local Government.