“WE NEVER TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER”
Calais, France, September 30, 2026
On early Monday morning, a ten year old boy and two women in their 30s tragically died while trying to cross the English Channel in a small boat, not far from Calais. We heard today of other deaths in northern France that don’t reach the mainstream news.
As a small group, we visited the Calais beach before setting up The Community Table in the main Secours Catholique Calais exilés day centre space. The weather outside was rainy and muggy, and teenage boys and young men arrived wet.
We reflected on the constant movement of a lot of people in the day centre; and the settledness at the table that extended across the afternoon - with fifty or so people joining us.
At the table, multiple miniature brick houses were built, and rebuilt. One young man was particularly absorbed in the making of his house, diffident at first, then careful and patient, absorbed in the intricate process across several hours. At the end he used plasticine to create himself on a chair sitting admiring his new home. In turn, his body language changed, as he sat back in his real chair and seemed to embody a sense of the creative journey he had been on. He also received praise for his beautiful home from those around him.
There were other energies across the other side of the table - two young man relishing the reading of our migration books, cover to cover. A lot of discussion around birds and migration followed.
Messages across time and space were also discussed through reading together the short messages on the backs of old postcards sent home from various UK and far flung places, so many reporting on the weather. One young man told us with humour: “We never talk about the weather in Sudan. It’s always the same (hot)!”
Reflection from our visitor Laura:
“I was struck by the small way the table gives purpose and order, and a sense of accomplishment with a self-directed project to work on. The art appeared as a tool for conversation that’s both joyful and productive, spending the day well.”
Words by Bobby Lloyd, Miriam Usiskin, Jayne McConkey & Laura O’Connor.
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