MOVED, AND ALONGSIDE

Essex, March 2026

Last week, we arrived at Wethersfield camp in strong winds and watched as a gazebo structure sailed silently over the boundary fence. Speaking with welfare staff, we learnt of fluctuating numbers on site, with fewer new arrivals. We wondered about the impact of high winds at sea.

We laid The Community Table with the patterned table cloth, drawing materials, typewriter, puzzle, bricks, postcards, gradually finding a place for each element. A man sat at the typewriter; ‘I have used one of these before in my country!’ he said. Over the course of the afternoon, many people came to write at the typewriter. A man from Sudan typed a letter to his mother, narrating as he wrote. Another, from Eritrea, wrote a letter to his ‘love’, writing Amharic words with the Latin alphabet. He then sent this image to her via WhatsApp; a letter handmade with care, something more than a WhatsApp message.

A man who had watched portraits being drawn in a previous session came over and quietly asked for a drawing of his wife. ‘I have not seen her for six years’ he said. He brought coffee to the table and expressed gratitude before carefully folding the drawing and discreetly leaving.

On the other side of the table a man we have come to know spoke about his imminent transfer elsewhere. ‘I am excited to move but also sad. I will not see you there. I do not have friends there.’

The music group created a soothing atmosphere alongside. A security guard improvised a song while one of the men played bass guitar. Heads turned across the room as people looked to see the source of the music. Later, a man from Sudan played hymns on the keyboard and sang, the verses rolling into eachother, producing a mesmerising calm.

Driving home, we reflected on the heart and soul of the men we encounter at Wethersfield. We thought about the rehumanising capacity of image making and our instinct to document the activity at the table.