CEE Bill support

'Caring in green'  photo by Steve Tanner
Kerry & Debs Shallal Dance Theatre

In a recent meeting we were discussing what Shallal has done and supports, so i felt this should be added to our blog

" ......The CEE bill - West Cornwall is going to present the open letter to Derek Thomas MP this Friday - earth day. 22nd April. We would love it if a member or two from Shallal could join us to hand it over?... Especially as Shallal were one of the early sign ups to the letter."

 Dear Supporters,

We just wanted to send a massive thank you to each of you for signing our open letter to Derek Thomas MP, asking him to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.

You are in good company, your signature joins over 80 others from organisations across the St Ives Constituency including schools, business, town and parish councils, artists, church groups, farmers and a Mayor or two! Go here https://www.transitionpenwith.org.uk/cee-bill-for-organisations/
and scroll down to see everyone represented on our "wall of fame"

If you were an early signatory, you will know the open letter started before the pandemic. Since then support for the CEE Bill has steadily grown - 188 councils across the UK, 31 Peers and 120 MP's now back the bill. Now its time we ask our representative in parliament to join them.

I'm pleased to tell you that we have an appointment to see Derek tomorrow, on Earth Day, 22nd April to hand over the letter. Pirate Radio will be covering the story and the Packet newspaper have ran an article you can see here
https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/20077951.climate-ecological-emergency-bill-letter-signed-80-cornwall/
We are expecting more media coverage on the day, as you can imagine, we are very keen to show the strength of your support for the CEE Bill and its importance for us here in West Cornwall, protecting the natural landscape, our health and security.

Derek cares about his constituency members and what we want. He has been open to discussing the bill and many of you have contacted him about it. We need to continue the conversations and let him know that we are determined to keep the CEE Bill on the table until it becomes law. Please consider dropping him a line next week asking him how he feels about receiving the letter and whether he will commit to supporting the Bill. You can contact him here https://www.derekthomas.org/contact

You can find out the most up to date information about the bill and its journey through parliament here
https://www.ceebill.uk/bill

We are keeping the petition running for the time being, we want to continue gathering signatures from the individuals across West Cornwall, so their voices can also be heard. You can help by contacting the individuals within your organisations and asking them to sign the petition. Here is the link
https://www.change.org/p/back-the-climate-and-ecological-emergency-bill.

Finally don't forget to visit the CEE Bill Alliance - West Cornwall facebook page here
https://www.facebook.com/ceebillalliancewestcornwall

Once again, thank you all.

We are so chuffed! Together we can make a difference, our voices are amplified and the message is clear. We need the CEE Bill to give us hope and help safeguard the future of the planet and its people.

With every good wish
Lesley

Lesley Bradley
for CEE Bill Alliance - West Cornwall Team
ceebill@transitionpenwith.org.uk
www.transitionpenwith.org.uk

Sign Supported Show

Good news in last night!

Demelza signing Swing Low Sweet Chariot at Kresen Kernow 

in the middle of the normal muddle of dress rehearsal preparation, which is exacerbated by my not being in person but on zoom today - the wonders of technology we have all taken on since the pandemic- however not there due to covid in my home - so!! not quite so wonderful... 

Anyway i digress good news that thanks to a generous offer we now have a Sign Supported show

I wrote recently our heading on instagram 'we aim for equity and accessibility' however we often fall short of our aspirations but continue to learn and push on and so we are so glad to have this. The shows are fully collaborative, not written, so we don't know what people will compose and create until close to the performance time which makes sourcing support, planning and budgeting for audio and BSL far more complex.

We are grateful to have some outreach funding from Henry Smith Charity to people in our Cornish community who are deaf and with hearing support needs.

I was thinking we had enough films of this show but now we might need to look at film or live stream again so we can capture it for that community. 

Cornwall is a highly supportive connected community and we are so glad and grateful for this. We have the cathedral venue as they reduced the rate and then a private sponsor, not wishing to be known, funded the rest of the (hefty) cost hire.

We have the cast available and are excited to be performing this again. We have a very narrow get in and rehearsal time next Friday but are so pleased and glad to be fund raising for things we feel passionately about. Thank you to Star for suggesting the venue and to Demelza for all her work with BSL and connections.

Now all the major 'issues' affect us all, we are happy to be more 'political' in the broadest sense in our voice. We are all vulnerable and we all need support!

Come along to a Free Show and give what you can to those in fleeing and in need!

Donations collected for Helping Children of the Ukraine ( a Cornish based support group) who will have speaker at the event and Mobile Refugee Support https://www.mobilerefugeesupport.org/about-us

feedback Sketchbooks and A Call to Home and Truro Cathedral

 

Starting with positive feedback for Claire and Elle,

out and about yesterday with Shallal Sketchbooks

 
"Thank you for yesterday such a great session!  The sketchbooks you shared are amazing and the film with Pam I loved . 

It only underlined bringing it into hubs is so valuable and getting the sketchbook library on a roadshow with some drop in have a go and grab a sketchbook/join up, plus some referrals. "

So much going on it's hard to blog about it...

 

Coming soon...

an evening performance and an extra song by the Wonderful Wheelers

The Hand Shatring Exhibition is up on you tube needs a little edit for 2 words but otherwise great, publicity soon

The Exhibition and performance of 'Marks, Movement and Conversation' was 'a highlight 'of Fine Art Falmouth year!

Film up thanks to Richard Stead and another slide show to come!

I don't 'do' days but some do and we join them in Happy Downs Syndrome Day!

"I don't do days", i told my husband,*

i support others who do, but for me someone somewhere would still get left out, so i'm thinking i don't do days but i do do days for the planet - that sustains us all and i do Birthdays everyone has one and if you don't know yours you can make one up, choose one.

However though 'i' don't do days,  i know many people who do and do them well so, stolen form Star's facebook page!

 from the past to the present.

*when he mentioned Down syndrome day and then we mentioned Iceland and then we stopped as i wanted to cry...https://www.cbsnews.com/news/down-syndrome-iceland/ it is genocide, we will look back and be appalled that we let this happen. 

When i was pregnant at 44 on her first visit the midwife pressured me so much about having a test to see if our unborn child might have downs syndrome, it was unexpected and upsetting and she wouldn't stop until in the end i said, " some of my close friends have downs syndrome you need to stop, I find it offensive, you won't change my mind!" 

To give and receive love, joy and affection is a wonderful thing and to care for others is a good lesson to learn for many of us, who are we to make those decisions? just cos you have 'one less chromosome' doesn't mean you are a better person!

I believe in a working together for so many reasons but this is one*, when i grew up people were often institutionalised unseen. Marjorie Zoe's mother, would recount how the doctor came to her soon after Zoe's birth said they could take her daughter away she needn't see her again.  Marjorie's life was changed from that moment on, she fought all the way for Zoe and others to have a good for filled life, and it was lonely and hard sometimes. We have much to thank her and others for, who were trail blazers.http://shallal-arts.blogspot.com/2011/05/marjorie.html

*If you know people you care about them and then hopefully you speak out for them.

Zoom talk, news, R&D Voice and Movement started

 Oh my it's getting so busy! in a good way.

Hard to share/do justice to what's going on, all need their own post...

Last night in our zoom talk Anna's slide choice presented a slice of Shallal from 1985 till today via people, Zoe, Toby and Trevor to Residencies and cross art form, Embodied space ending up at 'Marks, movement and Conversations.' 

(20 people on zoom talk ""Very inspiring... Thanks...I'd be wanting to get involved if I wasn't already.. 😁)

However this isn't the end as installations seem to be a really positive development for our collaborations and we realise we have 2 already on the boil or brewing, with Lisa Mortensen, Eddie and Anna and Peter Freeman and George and SDT, we would like to grow one with Janet's art work as well.

What an extraordinary pleasure when collaborations come off so beautifully, i was stunned by the curation and vision of Leigh Jacobs hanging the marks made in the 2 workshops. He transformed a seemingly small awkward sized space /gallery into a wonderful inviting intriguing installation which called you in and offered so much. I'll ask someone else to describe it and hope to document it this week.

An appreciative audience of approx 50 for our 2 pop up performances on Friday evening - thank you team! and Jonty Lees and everyone who supported it so warmly and worked hard to enable it.

Shallal Sketchbooks

Yesterday the Shallal Sketchbook zooms started again weekly, thanks to The Claire Milne Trust funding.

Voice and Movement' R&D at Holifield Farm Project 

Yesterday afternoon i had the pleasure to go to Holifield Farm Project to start an R&D that has been brewing for years 'Voice and Movement', I'd love a Shallal style 'choir'. 

The joy of familiar faces Liam and Emily - both had been in Shallal Dance Theatre years ago - Rupert i met as a toddler 25+ years ago! and Ian and some others I knew from centres i worked in many over 25 years ago! 

Thank you to Sadie for supporting this and Anna now interning with us and Elle volunteering with us. We plan to do 8 free sessions. I feel able to do this due to the musical skills of Sadie and then Elle so they compensate for my lack but i'm enthusiastic and we made great sounds and had fun!

Ideas

In true Shallal style you talk about something and already people are suggesting more and developing it, Zoe and Eddie had 4 good ideas from the talk, and Janice and co in Liskeard are developing and playing with their own style mark making. 

Thomas at Liskeard group

Someone in the audience was going to ask about the meaning of cross art form but after the talk said she now understood it in Shallal, which was good to know. 

Faraway dances 

a passion project! most of them are, check them out on our Shallal Arts you tube channel  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHqXvGvul--aNrXo-NoGtsA/videos

Lily, Joseph, Colin and me and Demelza

Time to prepare for the zoom sessions today and my weekly chat to our manager Chris whose calm at the centre of Shallal is really noticeable now, in so many of us being able to keep producing more and feeling well supported, thank you to the trustees and Ian as well and Charlotte.
Chris has been super busy outside Shallal with setting up/co-ordinating responses to the needs in the Ukraine and the suffering people.
https://planetradio.co.uk/pirate-fm/local/news/cornwall-group-offers-homes-for-refugees/

The global crisis asks more of all of us and i was thinking we could all aspire to tithe our time, ( many do already) 10 or 20% of our free time would make a real difference if we all did it and it could precipitate more positive change.

RSA 
As part of our UNBOXED: Collective Futures project we are inviting you to submit examples of collective participatory initiatives you're involved in. Together, we can show the power of collaboration between people from different backgrounds, perspectives and practices.
I responded to this from Shallal

and also recommended to them Manda Brookman
http://www.permanentlybrilliant.com/

and
Elephant Queen film outreach 
https://elephant.co.ke/
good to see art used as an inspiration and education and as a catalyst in this way

Snapshot day!

   "Work in progress painting by Eden in the studio today ! One to brighten up this afternoon!" from Phoebe

Sally Crabtree a royal favourite! Poetic Postee http://www.sallycrabtree.co.uk/sally-crabtree/ 

"Wow what a fab creative day in Shallal world...we had the enigmatic Poetry Postie with us at Express Yourself and Friends and Dancing...

Fabulous fun..."from Colin 

                                                                              Miles

                                                                                 Yvonne

                                                Zoe's Bat Workshop was on zoom with 12 people.

"Zoe did amazing leading her first poetry and comic workshop exploring bats on zoom this morning ! Despite some techy hiccups which added in some batty echoes to some of the poems! 🦇" Phoebe

"The workshop was fab! Zoe made the steps so clear for us to follow and gave us loads of creative freedom, well done to Zoe and Phoebe" xx Lou

"It was lovely to join Zoe's workshop today with  N****..she doesn't like to mix with groups but was very comfortable on zoom ..she is very excited about developing some work she started today  .and I'll be able to  forward it to you.. so glad we got Internet in our pod in the woodlands !!.. I thought the echoes were very fitting 😁

By an amazing coincidence  the other group were out building bat boxes!!! Bats Rule today!!🦇🦇🦇

Very well done to Zoe...x" Janice

                                                                Planning for this event.

Marks, Movement and Conversation. 

Opening 5pm Friday 11th March 

dance performance approx 6pm -  by some of Shallal Dance Theatre with George

exhibition is on till 18th March 

at 

Goldfish Bowl Gallery, 

Woodlane Campus 

Falmouth

Hope you can get to see it

Big Thank you to Leigh Jacobs and friends for such a wonderful experience.

Anna and I gave a talk at Falmouth University Woodlane campus

about Shallal and work we had already done re mark making etc especially though our Back Lane West residencies.

Which we are excited to be doing again this year in October!

Hope to share it on zoom sometime soon.

Zoom and 10yr thoughts

 Tuesday

Wonderful Zoom session today!

The joy of being connected and seeing old friends Tracy and Cath at Park View Centre, Helston where we are projected on to the wall and today our projectors arrive - they have been late in coming but - now we will have the capacity to project!

Looking forward to sharing the fabulous array of artistic expression and styles people have embraced in our Hands theme.

Now we are aiming to finish HANDS and move onto Colour - RED next week.

...

Friday

More Zoom as storm Eunice caused the cancellation of our Showcase and Sharing event...great to be together with zoom friends again and plans to create zoom films together.

A lot goes on behind then scenes new project funding Studios and Sketchbooks consolidating and developing all the time.

and a request to look forwards,

to imagine 10 years time

 my writings went in this direction...

Good practice is throughout Shallal relationships the care and concern, politeness, positive communication and respect is maintained and role modelled within the inner organisation as well as the public facing.

Shallal has a fully inclusive (comms) throughout …..skilled BSL and Makaton and Audio description, captioning  etc all inclusive communications readily available and is able to work well with people in these (often marginalised) communities

Shallal has a strong input ( outreach) and can work in all its groups with people with high level of support needs and has changing place in its studio/s, venues

Shallal has positive real relationships with other leading arts organisations which are also full accessible/inclusive and kind etc and continues to foster these

Shallal has/is survived/ing the global crisis we are entering and has been a leader/servant in new and positive ideas and ways of working - we can’t see into this, we just need to be prepared and watching reading the signs of the times

Shallal has a just equal/equity/ (highly skilled) and kind structure throughout.

With this in mind we have most if not all our groups sustained by ‘clean’ money and or our local communities - utopia! - Developed social prescribing parish councils local businesses communities model - from Imagine If

People working in Shallal have a reasonable wage and are not overly worried about their income, so they feel valued and can concentrate on the work. People work to their strengths and skills and are supported

We have accessible beautiful areas to work in outdoors, ie. outdoor studio performance space which are - a present wish for many people

Our ‘social’ venues are in the positive hearts of our communities.

People continue to see Shallal as part of their lives and there is a good succession development arts access throughout…it remains flexible and inviting and able to accommodate and help artists develop

It sustains it’s aesthetic standard and truly works across art forms and has music, voice, word, sculpture etc Art forms also available

There are good accessible platforms and opportunities for audience engagement,  

Shallal continues to be responsive to the people and may have completely changed it’s purpose and role if necessary…

Shallal has modelled and shown the value of people and their contribution and has positively affected societies thinking - things such as downs syndrome late abortion, (genocide)

Shallal has made positive impact on people living in supported living, who now don’t have difficulty accessing Shallal …Trevor Hill fund

Shallal continues to be able to work with people as long as they wish to be involved.

Shallal is attractive to artists, educators and its way of working is seen as complimentary and has impacted the way the arts are delivered and viewed…Shallal continues to expand explore and develop arts practices 

Shallal has a wonderful regenerative vision and impact - planet.

Shallal stays humble, rooted and not overly concerned with how others view them but answerable to our own ethos.

We still have fun, take our selves lightly and give and receive joy.

Shallal sustains and develops its symbiotic vibe!

Supportive friendships already happening continue and develop and people feel community support and its manifestation ie gig buddies…circles of support

How do people and families we know continue after parents /carers die etc

Shallal attracts and enables younger facilitators/artists who develop it in wonderful ways in keeping with its vision

Has delivered a residency /festival/event  celebrating and thanking Wolfgang of Amici with Sapphire as his vision enabled Shallal

Shallal has engaged positively with training and education students to show /develop accessible models

We are not complacent or self congratulatory 

Lou has added this to a bigger document and Shallal is much more than my thoughts and vision now, so hope to share that edited and refined sometime, it's gone to process with Jess.

Excited to work with Manda Brookman on a 'Charter for Change'  inspired b https://www.volunteercornwall.org.uk/climate-action-plan

and lots of interesting creative conversations, my favourites are Toilets* and Beavers..watch this space.

Date for Trevors Tea Dance on it's way!

from Zoe, ipad art! wonderful layers of colour.

* Toilets 

Shallal are advocates for Changing Spaces and are deeply sad to know 2 local hubs who had their supportive plans to install one fail at the final point and sad to work at one vibrant developing space/venue which so far is disinterested in installing one! ...

we keep going...

any of could be disabled by accident or illness and need to use one, it's not for 'others' its for all of us!

https://www.changing-places.org/

eco compost loos

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2019/dec/09/no-flush-movement-composting-toilet-clean-water-waste-fertiliser-eco-revolution

toilet twinning

https://www.toilettwinning.org/latrine-technology/

Public toilets nearby. Please note that most public toilets in Cornwall have seasonal opening times and require users to pay.

https://freemapsofcornwall.co.uk/our-directory/business-category/beaches/public-toilets/

https://cornishstuff.com/2018/10/29/relief-at-last-public-toilets-could-and-should-re-open/

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment/public-toilets/