Edge Hill Festival

I wont say lots about this but suffice it to say it was a great event. Held on Edge Hill station at the site that METAL have now leased as an arts centre - I am sure they call it something different but that is essentially what it will be - this community festival with the theme of Migration was fantastic.

There were about 20 stalls, each one fascinating in its own right. There were artists, photographers, jewellers, foodies, musicians, refugee action, all sorts. There was a big truck that is making its way round European cities talking about and examining migration and asking for items to be included in future truck stops. I donated a passport photo of my bessie mate Colin (who was with me) and on the back I confirmed it was a true likeness - passports are after all essential to migration, and I donated last year's student union discount card from the Liverpool College where I was studying HR. It had the text repeated in Welsh and I pointed out to the truck's organiser that Welsh people settled in Liverpool in big numbers.

I bought some great greetings cards from the photgrapher Jon D Nash of the statues on Crosby beach - my most favourite place on earth at the moment. I sent one to my friends Susan, Tom and Dylan who have moved to a new house in York, one to Jane Corbett, Labour Councillor for Everton for her 50th birthday, one to an Asylum Seeker friend in prison and my dad is getting one for Father's Day, the fifth I may well frame.

There were two food stalls. One was run by three African women in full costume, I tried to take their photo for the blog but the batteries in the camera chose this moment to run out, grrrr. The other was a vegetarian stall where I had a lovely veggie chilli wrap.

There was music and poetry from the tent all day, we stayed about two hours and really enjoyed the contributions.

I had my sketch done for the princely sum of £1 and took part in a questionnaire about my own family's migration patterns - I was proud to explain 500 years of movement albeit only around England, I hope it helps a bit, I know it wasnt as glamorous as moving from Nigeria or the Congo to Liverpool, but it might still contribute a bit to a fascinating project.

I am told by Colette and Ian, the principle movers behind METAL that this will be an annual event from now on, I do hope so, it will certainly go in my calendar of "must attend" events.