This event was held at 2pm at Parkview on Sheerwater on Saturday 1st February 2020. It was attended by twenty-seven people of different faith groups, who were asked to sit in groups around five tables. After a welcome, Simon Trick, the Chair, introduced Woking People of Faith and explained the aims and objectives of the charity. Rev Nick Hutchinson showed a video clip, which explored people’s ancestry through DNA and gave them some surprises! Questions were provided to stimulate discussion and encourage people to tell their personal stories about how they came to live in Woking; their parents’ lives; and also their grandparents’ birthplaces and occupations. Maps were provided so that each individual’s journey could be charted. Conversation flowed. Simon announced tea at 3.10pm, so the participants reluctantly stopped talking and tucked into a selection of scones, cake, samosas, biscuits and rice cakes as well as tea/coffee and fruit juice, which catered for everyone’s dietary needs. After the break, a final ten minutes was given to collate the feedback and calculate the number of miles each person had travelled and add up to find the total. One table was surprised to find that the white Caucasian members had all lived abroad so totted up thousands of miles between them, whereas the young Asian woman was born in Woking and had not lived anywhere else! They felt it was a lesson, similar to the one in the DNA clip, in not judging and making assumptions about people. Others had lived in Tasmania, Pakistan, Africa, Canada or had parents born in the Ukraine and Cyprus. When talking about grandparents’ occupations, it was discovered that several of them were farmers. The event closed at 4pm. Everyone said that they had thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and were even making suggestions such as bringing photos or artefacts to improve the same event held again in the future.
Date: Saturday 1st February 2020
Location: Parkview, Blackmore Crescent, Sheerwater, GU21 5NZ
Time: 2pm - 4pm
