Then & Now: “Imagine- children’s refugee journeys”

On October 6 our friends Ruth Connelly, Dannielle Gostling, Mike Clarke and several others from the cast of Desperate Journeys put on a powerful and inspiring show at the Stag Theatre in Sevenoaks entitled ‘Imagine’ using children.

It was part of the Safe Passage ‘Our Turn’ campaign to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Kindertransport, a scheme that ultimately led to the rescue of 10,000 Jewish children from Nazi persecution on the eve of World War II, and to highlight the plight of child refugees today.  

Safe Passage is calling on the Government to agree to fully fund a scheme to resettle 10,000 children at risk over 10 years from Europe and conflict regions across the world – matching the Kindertransport efforts.

Playworks Speech & Drama Education and Sevenoaks Theatre Workshop (groups which Ruth, Dannielle and Mike are involved with) worked with their young drama students to turn a creative vision written by Sir Michael Morpurgo into a moving theatrical production, linking the experiences of children in the 1930s to what others are going through today.

Empathy Action was able to provide support, lending some of the Desperate Journeys set and props, and helping to adapt some of the scenes.  For many of the younger children this was their acting debut and they all contributed to help bring empathy for the audience which included local councillors.

The local refugee welcome groups in Sevenoaks and Tonbridge are following up the event with meetings with MPs, county, district and town councillors to make the case for greater help for child refugees.  

If you would like to be involved in Desperate Journeys or activities around it please get in touch.