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The Generosity of Steinfurt: donations for Bosnia

27/1/2021

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Steinfurt Schloss, Photo: Hannah Parry
It doesn’t always rain in Steinfurt.

But more often than not, the striking castle and the angular church tower are silhouetted against a grey sky. 


It’s definitely not on the usual tourist radar, but the huge Bagno Park and area of woodland that separate the two halves of the town, are delightful. The wooden-framed buildings of the old town centre are firmly north German, and the twice-weekly market continues to be laid out on the cobbled street, despite the current restrictions.

It is here that No Name Kitchen volunteer Stef lives. And it is here that the generosity of her friends, colleagues and local groups has completely astounded us. 
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The large meeting room in the offices of Use-Lab, Stef’s company, was piled high with clothes, shoes, blankets and sleeping bags donated by local Rotary Clubs, Breitensportverband and Soroptimists International, as well as the Pascal Gymnasium in Münster. We spent an entire day sorting and packing with Use-Lab director Torsten his son Tim, Anfried and Ruth - Stef’s housemate.

Roping in other organisations to help us with the logistics of transporting everything to Bosnia, we will be sending half a truck’s worth of essential equipment, as well as some hygiene supplies, which will (fingers crossed) arrive just as we do. We’ll then be able to share the stuff with people in need.

The situation in Bihac right now is as bad as ever.

The fire at Lipa Camp (read more about that here), which rightly engaged the spotlight of international media, has rather dwarfed the problems that already existed. Thousands of people are unsupported by any camp - inadequate or otherwise - and survive in the crumbling buildings in the city.

​My friend sent these photos of where he lives. 
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Without the support of donations and organisations, I can’t imagine what would happen to him. Surely he would freeze or starve.

The generosity of the people of Steinfurt doesn’t just extend to physical or monetary donations. So often I feel as though I am shouting into the wind. That people in Europe read about and disapprove of the situation in the Balkans, but don’t care enough to act for change. Steinfurt has shown us that people do care. They care about our friends and the injustices that they face, and they’re willing to show that in a material way.

For us, as we begin our journey back to a much-changed Bihac, we are emboldened by the support.

To add to the support shown by the wonderful people of Steinfurt, you can donate to No Name Kitchen here.

And messages of support for us are always welcome.



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Pushbacks of migrants from Italy to Slovenia are illegal. Court of Rome Rules.

21/1/2021

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The Bosnia/Croatia border from Bihac. Photo: Hannah Parry
A judge in Rome has ruled that the practice of deporting migrants to Slovenia, under an old bilateral agreement, is illegal. “They are violating the Constitution and the European Charter of Fundamental Rights”.

Continue reading on Medium...

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Five Podcasts That Are Worth Listening To

19/1/2021

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I love a good podcast. I tend to listen to them while I’m driving or on a long run. It’s a great way to keep informed about changing trends, in-depth news features as well as learning new things and simply being entertained. Topics can range from comedy shows, to geeky, specialised content on every imaginable subject. 

In this strange corona-time, news outlets seem concerned only with the C-word, so I’ve enjoyed listening to content about the world outside of our own bubble and staying informed about interesting and important issues.

​Here are five of my favourites.
Worldwide Tribe Podcast

“The podcast that will take you on a journey across the world…without you having to go anywhere!”  

Podcast presenter Jaz O’Hara is an engaging host with first hand experience of the things that she’s talking about. She talks to people affected by the migration crisis, people living in camps and those involved in helping in various ways, from policy-makers to field volunteers. 

I’ve particularly enjoyed the episode with Lord Alf Dubs. His fascinating personal story prefixed detail about the Dubs Amendment - an addition to the Brexit Bill which would have ensured that unaccompanied child refugees could be reunited with family members in the UK. 
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Coffee Break Academy

There are no excuses to have a go at learning a new language these days. I’ve had a go a Spanish, Arabic, Serbo-Croatian-Bosnia, French and German. Duolingo is my go-to app which I use alongside Coffee Break Podcasts. They are easy to listen to, each episode focuses on just a small topic and they progress quite slowly. 

They do Espresso Shots of thirty-one languages, as well as the 20-30 minute regular show which discuss grammar as well cultural aspects.

Bist du bereit? Los gehts!


Jane Goodall’s Hopecast

“For a woman who defied the odds to change the world, Jane has lived a life propelled by hope. But it is not enough to expect something to happen, or to desire it. You must have confidence in the future, take action and trust – trust of yourself and in others.”

This is a new podcast series with the wonderful Dr Jane Goodall. Her long life of raising awareness of the human impact on the natural world has led her to meet numerous interesting and inspirational people. We could definitely all use a dose of hope right now.

Overheard at National Geographic

This is a great series about random interesting things. From ‘The tree at the end of a world’ to  ‘Scuba diving in a pyramid’ the lighthearted style is fun, but you’ll certainly learn stuff!

I particularly enjoyed ‘The Glass Stratosphere’, about women being allowed to be among the first astronauts to the moon. 

Living Adventurously

I feel like Al Humphreys is my friend, we share similar attitudes and restlessness I think. His idea of having 'microadventures' in whatever spare time you had, is now a mainstream term and his publications and mad ideas are inspired! 

His podcast series started when he was spending a month cycling around Yorkshire. His point being that, there are multiple definitions of how to ‘live adventurously’. Some of the people he interviews have completed global physical challenges, as Al himself has, but others find their adventure by becoming immersed in their local community. 

What are you listening to? And why do you like it? Comment below with any other suggestions for me.
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    Hannah the traveller

    is a travel and lifestyle blog with focus on running, vegan eating and of course global travel.

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