DEVON & CORNWALL REFUGEE SUPPORT COUNCIL

Providing Practical Support to Refugees

NEWSLETTER
MAY 2008

FOREWORD Lorna M. Sewell

BY THE Chair, DCRSC Board of Trustees
CHAIR
OF THE DCRSC BOARD OF
TRUSTEES
EDITORIAL COMMENT

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Dear Supporters,
ONTRIBUTIONS. We welcome
Unfortunately we are no further all contributions from anyone to
forward in forming an Association or our monthly Newsletters. Do you
Consortium of ASR Charities, although have something to include? Please pass
we have agreed in principle, which is so your article or comment to the Editor
vital to our long term sustainable whose contact details are at the foot of
financial future. This continued each page. News, gossip, information,
uncertainty, I have to say, has not notices, advertisements, photographs…
reduced the commitment of our staff anything will be considered for inclusion.
and volunteers. This can be seen in the
statistics for January, February and Deadline for June 2008 issue:
Friday, 30th May 2008
March, when a total of over 1,400
clients visited the Centre including over
1,200 on our two Drop-in days as well as
over 200 making appointments on
Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is an
enormous workload for our caseworkers
and volunteers, and the Board of
Trustees are immensely appreciative of
this.

Our Annual General Meeting will be

held on Tuesday 10th June at 6.00p.m. DISTRIBUTION
at Sherwell United Church Hall as in

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previous years. We do hope as many ISTRIBUTION. We would like
people who support the work being done to publicise our monthly
by DCRSC will attend. You will be Newsletters far and wide.
receiving further details shortly. Unfortunately, due to financial
constraints and to avoid postal charges,
Yours sincerely, we can only send them to those on email.

DCRSC Newsletter Editor: Telephone Geoff READ on (01752) 563800, or 07745819828, or at DCRSC.
1
A few spare copies will be available at the
Reception Desk at DCRSC. The layout is
designed so that it can be printed back-
to-back so please print off a copy and
pass it to your friends. If you are
reading this and not already receiving a
copy then please get in touch with the
Editor.
APPEAL. DCRSC is a registered
charitable organisation and not supported
by any national Governmental funding.
We rely totally on donations. We ask for
donations of cash, non-perishable food,
and items of clothing and bedding. If
you are able to help, please contact the
Editor in the first instance.

DCRSC OPENING HOURS

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PENING HOURS. Due to WELCOME!

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reduced staffing, our Drop-in
Opening Hours until further ELCOME! We should like to
notice will be: welcome the following new
volunteers who have recently
Mondays: Drop-in 10 am – 2 pm. joined us:
Tuesdays: Closed. Appointments only.
Wednesdays: Drop-in 10 am - 2pm. Graham BEDFORD
Thursdays: Closed. Appointments only. Gennifer A. PAUL GOMEZ (Jenny)
Fridays: Closed. Denis McDERMOT
Angela H. & Tim PHILLIPS
Clients will be seen for appointments on Christine REID
Charlotte A. TAYLOR (Charlie)
Tuesdays and Thursdays only, and on
Fridays the office will be completely
Welcome aboard all of you. We hope you
closed to clients. You can telephone
will find the work rewarding! Have we
DCRSC on (01752) 265952. If anyone has
missed anyone? Ed.
an urgent enquiry on Tuesdays then
please go to Refugee Action which is
located on the 4th Floor, Prideaux Court,
Palace Street (not far from DCRSC).
Their telephone number is (01752)
235030 and they will accept telephone
calls from Mondays to Fridays from 10:00 HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

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a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

H
OPS! WE FORGOT TRISH
OLIDAY CLOSURES. Please BAXTER! All members of
note that the Centre will be DCRSC would like to wish
closed for business on: belated Birthday Greetings to Trish for
her birthday on Thursday, 24th April
• Early Bank Holiday on Monday, 5th May 2008. Trish is one of our professional
• Spring Bank Holiday on Monday, 26th May. Caseworkers who works tirelessly to help
our clients. We all hope you enjoyed
DONATIONS your special day Trish and thank you for
your dedication!

H
O
APPY BIRTHDAY to Liz
NGO
HARDINGE. All members of
ING
DCRSC would like to wish Liz all
the very best for her birthday on
Wednesday, 7th May. Liz is currently a
volunteer with DCRSC and also a member

DCRSC Newsletter Editor: Telephone Geoff READ on (01752) 563800, or 07745819828, or at DCRSC.
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 A
of the Board of Trustees. Liz also acts NNUAL REPORT FOR 2006.
as our Volunteers Coordinator. We all Electronic copies are available by
hope you enjoy your special day Liz and email. If anyone should like a
thank you for all your hard work! hard copy then please send an A4 SAE to

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the Editor.

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EST WISHES to Pat JOYCE.
All members of DCRSC would like NNUAL REPORT FOR 2007.
to wish Pat all the very best for Dr. Pene Key, a DCRSC Trustee,
her birthday on Sunday, 25th May. Pat is is currently preparing the Annual
one of our volunteers who has done some Report. If you would like to contribute
splendid work as one of Auxiliary an article for publication would you please
Caseworkers. More recently, Pat has pass it to the Newsletter Editor who will
become a member of our Staff Team and ensure that it is passed on to Pene.
is now our Administrative & Financial Photographs would be particularly
Officer. We all hope you enjoy your welcome! The Yearly Statistics have
special day Pat and thank you for all your already been produced but the Yearly
hard work! Accounts have yet to be audited. Both

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will be included in the Annual Report
IRTHDAY GREETINGS to Joelle which we hope to publish in time for the
NGIRABATWARE. All members AGM.

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of DCRSC would like to wish Joelle
all the very best for her birthday on OARD OF TRUSTEES. The
Tuesday, 27th Board held a meeting on
May. Joelle is Wednesday, 14th April. The next
one of our meeting will be held on Thursday, 15th
volunteers and May. If there is something of concern
has also that you would like the Board to discuss
recently acted then please mention it to the Newsletter
as one of our Editor who will pass it on to the Board.

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Auxiliary
Caseworkers. EPARTMENT STORE
We all hope you enjoy your special day VOUCHERS. Some Asylum
Joelle and thank you for all your hard Seekers and / or Refugees (not
work! necessarily clients of DCRSC) often
receive vouchers from stores such as

O THERS? Have we missed any? Do

please let me know! Ed.
Sainsbury’s or Tesco so they can
purchase food. This is of course
extremely useful in relieving destitution
but they still need cash sometimes in
DCRSC GENERAL MATTERS order to pay their other household bills.

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If anyone would like to purchase some
vouchers from us in return for cash then
NNUAL GENERAL MEETING
do please get in touch with the
2008. The AGM has
Newsletter Editor. These vouchers can
provisionally been scheduled for
only be used in exchange for foodstuffs
Tuesday, 10th June at Sherwell Church
at the major supermarkets.
Hall as usual. Please see the Foreword

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on the front page... Ed.
TAFF TEAM MEETINGS. Team
(or Staff) Meetings are normally
.
held on a Tuesday every
fortnight. The Staff Team had a
meeting on Wednesday, 9th April and
DCRSC Newsletter Editor: Telephone Geoff READ on (01752) 563800, or 07745819828, or at DCRSC.
3
Arnold will email copies of the minutes to May at DCRSC. All volunteers are
the Staff Team. The next meeting is encouraged to attend.
scheduled for Wednesday, 7th May.

STATISTICS. Geoff Read has

produced the monthly statistics for
DCRSC
for the
April
2007.
If
anyone
wishes

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to have
OLUNTEERS NEEDED! We are
sight of any statistical information then
constantly seeking new volunteers
please contact the Editor directly in the
to replace those who occasionally
first instance.
leave us. No special qualifications are

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necessary… simply the ability to give a
RAINING DAY. Volunteers little of your time each week. We need
and Staff attended a Training more volunteers to assist us with the
th
Day on Thursday, 13 February following:
with the primary aim of training our
Auxiliary Caseworkers. These are • Clothing Store
• Food Programme
volunteers who are unpaid and not
• IT Supervision
specifically qualified in casework but who • Reception Desk
can give valuable assistance in basic • Women’s Group

advisory assistance to clients. The • We are also seeking selected volunteers to

presentation and training was given by
Trish Baxter, ably assisted by Pat Joyce.
Nine of our volunteers attended and all
said the day was a great success and very
much appreciated. Thank you Trish and
Pat! A follow-up Training Day is now
become Auxiliary Caseworker.
Would you like to help? Please contact
the Editor in the first instance. He will
then pass those details to the
appropriate Trustee / Staff Member who
will arrange a short interview.

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th
planned for Thursday, 8 May from OLUNTEER’S ROSTER FOR MAY
09:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Further details 2008. John JEBB is responsible
can be obtained from Trish at the for producing the roster. The
Centre. roster will include the names of
volunteers on Reception Desk, Food Team
VOLUNTEERS’ MEETINGS and the Auxiliary Caseworkers. One
hard copy will also be displayed in the
Kitchen. Please add you names to that
April 2008 Meeting. This was held at list!
10:00 a.m. on Thursday, 24th April. The
minutes have been made available either THE DCRSC CLOTHING
by email and / or copies have been placed STORE
in the Volunteers’ Box in DCRSC.

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ONATIONS. Although located
May 2008 Meeting. The next meeting
in the basement of the DCRSC
will be held at 10:00 on Thursday, 29th
offices, the Clothing Store is
DCRSC Newsletter Editor: Telephone Geoff READ on (01752) 563800, or 07745819828, or at DCRSC.
4
managed by Churches Together in NEWS, GOSSIP &
Plymouth (CTiP). They would welcome
ADVERTISEMENTS
any donations of clothing, etc., but are
currently in need of:

Curtains Yes please! THIS SPACE COULD HAVE BEEN

Pots & Pans Yes please! USED TO PLACE YOUR NOTICE!
Sleeping Bags Yes please! Why not contact the Editor?
Toiletries Yes please!

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Children’s Clothing No thank you!
Ladies Clothing No thank you!
SYLUM FAMILY IS MOVED TO
BRISTOL. The following
All contributions will be gratefully
account was published in the
received and put to good use.
Plymouth Herald on Saturday, 6th April,
and written by Investigations Editor,
THE DCRSC FOOD William Telford:
PROGRAMME

F
RESH BREAD. One of our Food
Team Members recently acquired
some fresh home-made bread that
we were able to freeze down and pass on
to our clients. Thanks Marion!
A Nigerian family removed from Plymouth and under
threat of being returned to Africa has been moved
again – this time to Bristol.
The family of seven, which includes a 14-year old
boy with sickle cell anaemia, is living in a ‘normal
family home’ in an undisclosed part of the city.
But they still hope to return to Plymouth while they
await the outcome of a court battle aimed at

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RESH TURKEY. We are now able
to supply frozen turkey pieces to
our clients through the generosity
of a local farmer. One of our Trustees
has very kindly donated to us a suitably-
sized freezer so we are able to issue
clients on demand. Good progress!
keeping them in Britain.
The Border & Immigration Agency decides where
asylum seekers live.
Mum-of-six Helen, whose surname is not being
revealed to protect her, said no court date had
been set, adding: “They did say they are going to
bring us back to Plymouth, we are not sure of the
dates.”
The family lived in Plymouth for four years, but
were taken from their Lipson home by police and

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HE SHEKINAH MISSION.
The Food Team has been liaising
closely with this organisation over
recent months and we are delighted with
the amount of tinned foods they have
recently passed on to us. Thanks a lot!
immigration officers on January 18th.
They were sent to Yarl’s Wood Immigration
Detention Centre, Bedfordshire, and taken to
Heathrow Airport on February 21st, to be flown to
Lagos.
But they received an 11th hour reprieve when
lawyers secured a judicial review.

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The article continued.
HANK YOU! The volunteer Food
Programme Coordinator would like
to express his especial thanks to
all those who gave their time and / or
who made donations during recent
months. Thanks!

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

None received in April. Come on you lot...

get writing! Ed.

DCRSC Newsletter Editor: Telephone Geoff READ on (01752) 563800, or 07745819828, or at DCRSC.
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 J
OBS & SKILLS FESTIVAL. The
following is an article published in
The Herald on Thursday, 6th
March:

A Jobs & Skills Festival is to be held in Devonport.

The event, on Thursday, 1st May has been organised
by the Devonport Regeneration Community
Partnership, and will take place at Plymouth Albion,
in Madden Road, between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Career
advisers, training providers, further and higher
education colleges will be on hand, along with major
employers, to give visitors help and support in
entering work, training or education.

I have been in touch with them to

request more details as this may interest

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ARBICAN INTERNATIONAL some of our clients. Ed.

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JAZZ & BLUE FESTIVAL: 3rd –
11th May. All the information ORD MAYOR’S DAY. The annual
about the gigs, the venues, the artistes Lord Mayor’s Day parade will take
and The Barbican, online at: place on Saturday, 17th May,
www.barbicanjazzandbluesfestival.com. marching through the City Centre.

There is also a MySpace page at: MUTLEY GREENBANK FESTIVAL.

www.myspace.com/barbicanjazzandblues.
Monday, 26th May – Sunday, 1st June.
Look out for the official Festival brochure in shops,
eateries, hotels and guest-houses all over the city Details listed below.
of Plymouth. There is a full-colour, free guide to
what's happening in the Festival. If you want a
copy and you're outside Plymouth or Devon, email
Katie on:
katie@barbicanjazzandbluesfestival.com and we'll
get one (or some) to you.

Further information from:

Barbican International Jazz and Blues Festival

C/O The B-bar
Barbican Theatre, Castle Street, The Barbican,
Plymouth, Devon PL1 2NJ
Telephone: 01752 242021
Email: www.b-bar.co.uk

'Celebrating community; Celebrating diversity'

www.mutleygreenbankfestival.co.uk

Contact: 01752 827818

Email: info@mutleygreenbankfestival.co.uk

A project of the Mutley Greenbank Community

Network
& Mutley Greenbank Trust
www.greenbanknetwork.org.uk

The Mutley Greenbank Art & Crafts Show.

An opportunity for local people, adults and children,
to display their art and craft – if they wish, they
can put it on sale with a small percentage for the
festival costs – and the show will be judged with

DCRSC Newsletter Editor: Telephone Geoff READ on (01752) 563800, or 07745819828, or at DCRSC.
6
prizes in various categories. The exhibition will be
open throughout the festival week with judging on
Sunday 1st June. All ages and abilities welcome! Only
£1 to exhibit work in the show. For more
information and to request a booking form contact
01752 664525 or e-mail artshow@stmatthias.biz.

Tea Party - Tuesday 27th May 1.30 p.m. - 3.30 p.m.,

Swarthmore Centre.
An afternoon of fun and music for those over 60;
including as much tea and cake as you can eat. Come
together for a sing along to songs from yester year.
Residents in the Mutley Greenbank neighbourhood
and surrounding areas particularly welcome. Book
now! Tickets are free but are on a first come first
served basis. Contact the Elder Tree on 01752

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227447.
EFUGEE COUNCIL
Community Theatre workshop – Thursday, 29th May NEWSLETTER dated 28th April
10.00 a.m.-12.00 p.m., Swarthmore Centre.
2008:
Interested in being a part of a new community
drama group and working towards a performance
later in the year? Explore your creative side with News & Press. All refused asylum seekers should
this community-based theatre workshop and find be entitled to healthcare, says Judge [17th April
out more. All ages and abilities welcome. No upper 2008]
age limit and no experience necessary. Residents http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/news/news/2008
from the Mutley Greenbank neighbourhood /April/20080417.htm
particularly welcome. For more info or to reserve TUC and Refugee Council launch joint campaign on
your space contact Louise or Kerry on 01752 the right to work [18th April 2008]
827818 or email http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/news/news/2008
info@mutleygreenbankfestival.co.uk. /April/20080418.htm

Inclusive Dance Workshop – Thursday, 29th May

2.00 -4.00 p.m., Swarthmore Centre.
A free interactive dance session as never before!
Run by professional dancers this workshop is open
to disabled and non-disabled people who want to
dance, challenge themselves and have fun moving
together. No experience necessary. Suitable for
age 11+. Space is limited, so must be booked in
advance. For more info, to reserve your space and
let us know of any access or accommodation
requirements please contact Louise or Kerry on
01752 827818 or email
info@mutleygreenbankfestival.co.uk.
Poliblog. Jane from the Campaigns and Public
Affairs team looks at the latest report from
Children’s Commissioner, Sir Al Aynsley-Green on
the treatment of children seeking asylum in the UK
on their own.
http://refugeecouncil.typepad.com/poliblog
iRefugee. The internet is the perfect place for
refugees to tell their stories in their own words.
iRefugee is a new space on our website aimed at
doing just that. We launch with an online exhibition
of photography by young refugees with a voiceover

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from the young people themselves.
LYMOUTH COMMUNITY http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/news/irefugee/

PARTNERSHIP recently held a

New Offices in Birmingham. Short guide for
prize draw at their Annual General
advisers on access to higher education and template
Meeting. The picture below shows Geoff letter for requesting home fees [April 2008].
(our volunteer Food Programme http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/policy/briefings/
Coordinator) receiving Sainsbury’s Money 2008/higher_education.htm

Vouchers from a PCP Staff Member.

The vouchers will be used on our Food
Programme.

DCRSC Newsletter Editor: Telephone Geoff READ on (01752) 563800, or 07745819828, or at DCRSC.
7
 R
EFUGEE COUNCIL NEWS Friday, 2nd May
REVIEW. The Refugee Council's
Jewish
News Review rounds up media YOM HASHOAH
coverage of issues relating to refugees The Jewish Holocaust Memorial Day.
and asylum for anyone who wants to keep The date is chosen as the closest date (in the
Jewish calendar) to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
up to date with the latest developments:
• The right of asylum seekers to work. Bahai
• Deportation was in the news as the government RIDVAN - TWELFTH DAY
won a case to return asylum seekers to all Marks Baha'u'llah's departure from the Ridvan
parts of Iraq and Nigerians called for a garden.
boycott of British Airways.
Sikh
• Figures on self-harm at detention centres were
BIRTHDAY OF GURU ARJAN DEV
released. (NANAKSHAHI CALENDAR)
• Calls were made for free HIV treatment for Guru Arjan Dev (1563-1606) was the fifth of the
refused asylum seekers. Sikh Gurus

• A demonstration was held in memory of a

Saturday, 3rd – Sunday, 11th May
woman deported to Ghana whilst undergoing
cancer treatment.
BARBICAN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ & BLUE
For more information, log-on to the
FESTIVAL
Refugee Council website. (see separate article)

DIARY DATES Sunday, 4th May

Christian
ASCENSION DAY (CATHOLIC CHURCH IN
All dates are shown using the Gregorian (Western)
ENGLAND AND WALES)
calendar. The calendar is accurate, but some dates
Ascension Day is normally celebrated 40 days after
may vary regionally because they are determined by
Easter. The Catholic Church in England and Wales
the lunar calendar. Jewish festivals usually begin at
celebrates it on the following Sunday instead.
sundown on the previous day.

If on the internet, just click on the faith links for

Monday, 5th May
further information. These are underlined. Ed.
EARLY BANK HOLIDAY in UK
DCRSC will be closed for business.

Thursday 1st May

Wednesday, 7th May
LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTION VOTING DAY
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/elections/en MEETING OF THE DCRSC STAFF TEAM
glandtimetable2008.cfm (see separate article)

JOBS & SKILLS FESTIVAL Thursday, 8th May

(see separate article)
DCRSC STAFF TEAM IN-HOUSE TRAINING
Pagan DAY
BELTANE (see separate article)
Pagans celebrate Beltane with maypole dances,
symbolising the mystery of the Sacred Marriage of
Goddess and God.
Sunday, 11th May

Christian
ASCENSION DAY
Ascension Day marks the last earthly appearance of
Christ after his resurrection.
Christians believe Christ ascended into heaven.
It is celebrated 40 days after Easter.
Christian
PENTECOST - WHITSUN
The seventh Sunday after Easter, commemorating
the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples
and the birth of the Christian Church.
Thursday, 15th May

MEETING OF THE DCRSC BOARD OF

TRUSTEES
DCRSC Newsletter Editor: Telephone Geoff READ on (01752) 563800, or 07745819828, or at DCRSC.
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 (see separate article)
Christian
CORPUS CHRISTI (CATHOLIC CHURCH IN
ENGLAND AND WALES)
Corpus Christi falls on the Thursday after Trinity
Thursday, 15th May Sunday. The Catholic Church in England and Wales
celebrates it on the following Sunday instead.
LORD MAYOR’S PARADE
(see separate article)
Monday, 26th May
Sunday, 18th May SPRING BANK HOLIDAY in UK
DCRSC will be closed for business.
Christian
ALL SAINTS' DAY (ORTHODOX) MUTLEY GREENBANK FESTIVAL
This day honours all saints, known and unknown, of Monday, 26th May – Sunday, 1st June
the Christian church. (see separate article)
Western churches celebrate All Saints Day on 1st
November.
Thursday, 29th May
Christian
Bahai
TRINITY SUNDAY
ASCENSION OF BAHA'U'LLAH
The first Sunday after Pentecost.
Anniversary of Baha'u'llah's death in in 1892 near
Christians meditate on the nature of God as "Three
Akka, Israel.
in one".

DCRSC VOLUNTEERS’ MEETING

Tuesday 20th May (see separate article)

Buddhist Friday, 30th May

WESAK OR BUDDHA DAY
The most important of the Buddhist festivals. DEADLINE FOR ARTICLES FOR JUNE EDITION
It celebrates the Buddha's birthday, and, for some OF THE DCRCS NEWSLETTER
Buddhists, also marks his birth and death. (see separate article)
Pictures of Wesak celebrations in Manchester.

Monday, 9th June

Buddhist
THERAVADA NEW YEAR
New Year festival for Theravada Buddhists, Jewish
celebrated for three days from the first full moon Shavuot
day in April. Shavuot marks the time when the first harvest was
taken to the Temple.
Also known as the Festival of Weeks.
Friday, 23rd May
Tuesday, 10th June
Bahai
DECLARATION OF THE BAB
DCRSC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Bab was the Forerunner of Baha'u'llah, founder
(see separate article)
of the Baha'i faith.
His mission was to prepare the world for the coming
of Baha'u'llah and he declared it in the evening of Monday, 16th June
22nd May 1844.
Sikh
Sikh Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (Nanakshahi
BIRTHDAY OF GURU AMAR DAS calendar)
(NANAKSHAHI CALENDAR) Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth Sikh Guru and the
Guru Amar Das (1479-1574) was the third of the first Sikh martyr.
Sikh Gurus. He also compiled all of the past Gurus' writings into
one book, which is now the Sikh holy scripture: the
Sunday, 25th May Guru Granth Sahib.

Christian Friday, 20th June

CORPUS CHRISTI Pagan
Roman Catholic festival celebrating the "real Summer Solstice - Litha
presence of Christ in the Eucharist". Longest day of the year
The festival falls on the Thursday after Trinity
Sunday.
DCRSC Newsletter Editor: Telephone Geoff READ on (01752) 563800, or 07745819828, or at DCRSC.
9
 Sunday, 29th June
Christian
St Peter's Day
Observed by Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran
churches.
One of the oldest saints' days.

DCRSC Newsletter Editor: Telephone Geoff READ on (01752) 563800, or 07745819828, or at DCRSC.
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