Day 2 at Calais Refugee Camp by Floyd Croll
Day 2: Football Lesson
I learnt football on a field in Rattlesden, it's been 20 years since those early days and since those early years I have forgotten one of the main purposes of football. Escapism. It's hard to think about anything else when playing the game. In the past turning up to training has been an essential part of recovery from depression, if only temporary. I don't know what the answer is to the economic and social problems of the world. Yet within the Calais ...camp it is evident to see how important sport and games are to people. Deliveries of clothes and food are INCREDIBLY important I can assure you, but whilst they may provide warmth and protection on their own they will provide little to warm the human spirit in isolation.
Through football the lads in the camp can regain a sense of normality, humanity and personal identity. We are all equal on the football field and believe me, I have been nutmegged more times than I care to mention. Many of the players play barefoot or in flip flops, but there are no complaints or excuses. There is laughter too. I mean who can't resist laughing when you have just fired a shot straight at ' the white man's balls' right. I've loved playing football with the gentlemen of the camp, and cannot stop smiling when playing BUT..............
The reality of today is that not only have we lived such different lives to previous to this football game but we will go on to lead different and unfair lives unless change happens. I left a laptop screen and my washing on the line back in England. Many have left threats of death and civil war. One gentleman I was speaking to came here on a makeshift boat from Libya. His description of the experience as "scary" no doubt fails to do the harrowing journey justice. Yet worse still after we all played football on the field together we go on to lead VERY different lives.
I am off to Paris for a few days.of photography then back to England, without difficulty in entering.
Some of the players here might not be here for my next game I plan to play in the camp on Monday.
So many of the gentleman within the camp (the word is used here with the highest deliberation possible) will attempt to travel to England at some point. They will literally risk their lives to escape their past lives in war torn Sudan, Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria and their current one in squalid conditions which, without assistance, will become deadly as winter approaches.
I wish I could say that England is a place that they will be welcomed. That their lives will be free from fear, that they can actually rebuild and experience life again, that all the risks will be worth it..................................
..........
..........
..........
..........
Wish.
Day 2: Football Lesson
I learnt football on a field in Rattlesden, it's been 20 years since those early days and since those early years I have forgotten one of the main purposes of football. Escapism. It's hard to think about anything else when playing the game. In the past turning up to training has been an essential part of recovery from depression, if only temporary. I don't know what the answer is to the economic and social problems of the world. Yet within the Calais ...camp it is evident to see how important sport and games are to people. Deliveries of clothes and food are INCREDIBLY important I can assure you, but whilst they may provide warmth and protection on their own they will provide little to warm the human spirit in isolation.
Through football the lads in the camp can regain a sense of normality, humanity and personal identity. We are all equal on the football field and believe me, I have been nutmegged more times than I care to mention. Many of the players play barefoot or in flip flops, but there are no complaints or excuses. There is laughter too. I mean who can't resist laughing when you have just fired a shot straight at ' the white man's balls' right. I've loved playing football with the gentlemen of the camp, and cannot stop smiling when playing BUT..............
The reality of today is that not only have we lived such different lives to previous to this football game but we will go on to lead different and unfair lives unless change happens. I left a laptop screen and my washing on the line back in England. Many have left threats of death and civil war. One gentleman I was speaking to came here on a makeshift boat from Libya. His description of the experience as "scary" no doubt fails to do the harrowing journey justice. Yet worse still after we all played football on the field together we go on to lead VERY different lives.
I am off to Paris for a few days.of photography then back to England, without difficulty in entering.
Some of the players here might not be here for my next game I plan to play in the camp on Monday.
So many of the gentleman within the camp (the word is used here with the highest deliberation possible) will attempt to travel to England at some point. They will literally risk their lives to escape their past lives in war torn Sudan, Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria and their current one in squalid conditions which, without assistance, will become deadly as winter approaches.
I wish I could say that England is a place that they will be welcomed. That their lives will be free from fear, that they can actually rebuild and experience life again, that all the risks will be worth it..................................
..........
..........
..........
..........
Wish.
No comments:
Post a Comment