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C-BERSS EX-PRESS
October 2003
Issue 3, Vol 6
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All Newsletters : October 2003 : UK Families "Get-Together"
UK Families "Get-Together"
A group of “recently discovered” family members of former child migrants took part in a “get-together” in the UK at the end of July.
The meeting was organised by Joan Kerry of the UK Australia Child Migrant Project in response to a request from some of the families who had gone through the process of discovering and being reunited with a previously unknown family member and felt it would be helpful to have contact with others who had shared similar experiences.
Considering the age of many family members and their spread throughout England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and elsewhere, Joan says she is delighted with the turn up of 12 people for the first meeting. A further five families said they would have liked to attend but couldn’t due to other commitments.
As well as sharing common experiences and sometimes confronting feelings, the meeting talked about the best way to help future reunions run more smoothly for the benefit of former child migrants and family members yet to make personal contact.
Joan plans to make a video of relatives’ views which can be used as a resource to make the reunion experience as pleasant as possible for both sides of the family connection.
Family members who took part in the July meeting were keen to meet again and a second meeting has been planned for 6th January 2004.
At this stage, the meeting is open only to the relatives of Former Child Migrants of Catholic origin.
If any of our readers have UK relatives who they think would like to attend, please make contact with Joan Kerry either through C-BERS or direct in the UK on 001144 1675 434002.
Relative Issues Joan Kerry has also produced a video, called Relative Issues, which features the daughter of a deceased Child Migrant talking candidly about how her father’s experiences have affected other family members. This moving 15 minute video is an important contribution to the lessons to be learned from the Child Migrant experience. It is not yet available publicly but it can be viewed at C-BERS by arrangement.
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