TREE OF LIFE IS PEOPLE'S CHOICE

I'm pleasantly surprised (that's putting it mildly) to see Charlotte Jones post this on her Facebook page:

Waiting 5 years, rescuing it from near skipping and lugging this tree across Leicester on my back, was all worth it - it won the prestigious "People's Choice Award" at the Green Light Festival!! (Voted by a small but obviously well refined group of voters.) I'm glad it got this final outing before it goes/gets lugged to it's final resting place at Folville Primary. Well done all 150 children (now teenagers!) who made it!

Some choice quotes from the kids (they're written all over the tree, inspired by a 500 year old tree we visited):

• In the future I would like to stop terrorism.

• There will be a new Skittles flavour.

• I hope I don't get shot.

• Will the BMX track be bigger?

• Artists should invent more animals.

Tree of Life was an educational project in which I took part, with Clare Bull, Clare Carr, Charlotte Jones and Claire Plumb for a week in the summer of 2008. It was based at Leicester's EcoHouse and used the ancient oak tree in Western Park. This involved several local schools in day-long sessions of storytelling, handicrafts, honing their thinking and speaking skills, music and movement - and new ways of seeing, thinking about and expressing their relationship to the natural world. It was one of the highlights of my post and stands out as a beautiful, enjoyable and fulfilling experience on a number of levels. The sun shone the whole week long and it all left a lovely memory.

The Tree of Life itself (made by Clare Bull, its leaves populated by the words of the schoolchildren who took part in the project) hung on the wall of the Eco House for several months, then  ... vanished. I'm glad to see that it has risen like a phoenix - if that's not too mixed a metaphor!

SO. FAREWELL THEN, CLARE CARR

At Southfields Library (AKA "Pork Pie Library") this afternoon for one of Global Education Leicester-Shire's celebrated Strawberry Teas. These are known far and wide as jolly liitle affairs, but there's mixed feelings at this one. It's a farewell do for Clare Carr, Schools Worker at GELS and one of its two part-time employees (on the left in the photo above, with Claire Plumb, Development Worker at GELS).

For the past eight years Clare has been a mainstay of Global Education Leicester-Shire and its predecessor, East Midlands Network for Global Perspectives in Schools (EMNGPS) Leicester and Leicestershire Locality Group. She's also been a leading proponent of Philosophy for Children (P4C) and Fairtrade initiatives throughout the city and county and is currently one of two joint co-ordinators for Philosophy in Pubs in Leicester.

Many of the people here today have given their support to GELS, EMNGPS (and directly or indirectly, Leicester Council of Faiths) in helping broaden the horizons of children, teachers, families and communities. We've done a lot of good work together over the years and it saddens me to think that this may be the last time many of us will be in the same room together. Still, there's little time for that, as we join in the party fun, including pass the parcel (photo below). And of course, the food is delightful, featuring virtually every edible use of strawberries than you could imagine!

Clare is moving on to a job based in one of the city's schools, starting at the end of August. Those who recognise and appreciate the contribution she's made to the current good name of Leicester Council of Faiths - either by her own direct efforts or by supporting mine - will wish her well in her new post.