The centre is well set up with lounges, dormitories and showers. They have wifi to the building but NO computer. The breakfast over the time they are here will be provided by the restos du coeur and other basic meals by the croix rouge. They will have no official transport and the centre is quite isolated in the countryside.
The French ladies, and they were mainly ladies, were worried about communication when we were told that the refugees spoke Arabic and English.
It was decided we needed a main coordinator and preferably two people, different coordinators to organise different events. Sarah Brown from St. Martial and I, Valerie Johnstone, volunteered to be coordinators for the English volunteers. We will all be needed.
I have a list of nearly all the English speakers who have volunteered but I would like this list to be comprehensive and shared between Sarah and myself. We will also need phone numbers, fixed and portable.
It is envisaged that one or two of us will be available at most times of the day after breakfast and that we will act as translators between the refugees and the French (really testing our language skills)
The refugees will clearly need things to occupy themselves with so we want ideas for entertainments and sports. A French lady has already offered to organise walks/randonnées.
Malc is keen to teach them the finer points of boule and we may need spare boules players and spare boules. Who knows there may even be a bridge player amongst them!!
Someone suggested if you were a cook to do the odd meal or take some soup and cakes which might be appreciated. We need to find the religions of all the group to know where we stand on what they can and cannot eat.
There will be a lot of trial and hopefully not too much error in all of this. I or Sarah will keep you informed as we go.
Now for sure I know we need to find a computer. Who has one that Andrew can recondition?
The French ladies, and they were mainly ladies, were worried about communication when we were told that the refugees spoke Arabic and English.
It was decided we needed a main coordinator and preferably two people, different coordinators to organise different events. Sarah Brown from St. Martial and I, Valerie Johnstone, volunteered to be coordinators for the English volunteers. We will all be needed.
I have a list of nearly all the English speakers who have volunteered but I would like this list to be comprehensive and shared between Sarah and myself. We will also need phone numbers, fixed and portable.
It is envisaged that one or two of us will be available at most times of the day after breakfast and that we will act as translators between the refugees and the French (really testing our language skills)
The refugees will clearly need things to occupy themselves with so we want ideas for entertainments and sports. A French lady has already offered to organise walks/randonnées.
Malc is keen to teach them the finer points of boule and we may need spare boules players and spare boules. Who knows there may even be a bridge player amongst them!!
Someone suggested if you were a cook to do the odd meal or take some soup and cakes which might be appreciated. We need to find the religions of all the group to know where we stand on what they can and cannot eat.
There will be a lot of trial and hopefully not too much error in all of this. I or Sarah will keep you informed as we go.
Now for sure I know we need to find a computer. Who has one that Andrew can recondition?
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