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We are very excited to announce that COMPAS Charity will soon open a new Orion community hub. We are very grateful to Tudor Trust for continuation funding that will enable us to continue in providing services to communities in Peterborough.

The new Orion will be located at number 19, Fitzwilliam Street in Peterborough. The location is enable us to offer even more services and to wider spectrum of communities. We are planning to open a community shop with advisory service, art & craft workshops, dance classes, youth clubs, film nights, children parties and so on. We will be also offering a community space for hire. 

The building requires a lot of refurbishment but we are all working tirelessly to have it done and shiny by mid July. The grand opening will be on Saturday 20th July at 14:00. Our special guest will be Lisa Forbes MP, who will officially open the venue. Everyone is welcomed to attend.

In the mean time, here are some ‘before & after’ pictures.

COMPAS Orion is a multi-function community hub providing a focal point and facilities to foster greater local community activity and bring residents, the local business community, and smaller organisations together to improve the quality of life in their areas.

The following projects currently take place at Orion:

• Czech and Slovak language class
• English language class
• Creative literacy for children
• Library
• Coffee morning
• Advice service
• Mentoring of young people
• Exhibition of drawings of Slovak Roma children from Jarovnice in Slovakia

The rooms are fully equipped – internet, PC, interactive white board, coffee machine and water dispenser.

COMPAS has its own poem! (The poem is in Czech & Slovak language)

 

1) Dnes už to nie je žiadnou raritou,

že pomoc nájdem s Compasom charitou.

Ak mám pocit, že stratený som,

môžem sa o všetkom poradiť s Compasom.

 

2) Kadiaľ sa vydať a v akom smere,

tu mi pomôžu, je to o dôvere.

Ťažkosti v škole, napríklad v jazyku,

s Compasom vyriešim, je to len o zvyku.

 

3) Že už si zabudol rodnú reč?

Zase sa naučíš, len malé leč.

Sobotná škola skôr bola bežná,

dnes už ju vo svete málokto spozná.

 

4) V desať až dvanásť, vždy v tomto čase,

každú sobotu sa stretneme zase.

Do školy chodíme veľmi radi,

sme tu spoločne s kamarátmi.

 

5) Čo sa tu učíme, to nás veľmi baví,

je to pre všetkých presne to pravý.

Nech je to kreslenie, alebo tanec,

vždy nás mrzí keď zazvoní zvonec.

 

6) V knihovně můžu si půjčit Kmotra,     

mladší spíš vyberou Harryho Pottera.

Pak je tu knížka, co má být svatá,

„Bohatý táta, chudý táta“.

 

7) Může být pro tebe inspirací,

jak si najít dobrou práci.

Nebo jak začít podnikat

A nic náhodě nenechat.

 

8) Ať utkví ti v hlavě jen jediná věta,

je jedno, z jakého jsi koutu světa.

Vzpomeň si na svou rodnou zem.

Odkud pocházím? Odkud jsem?

 

9) Jaké jsou tradice, lidové zvyky,

jakými se tam hovoří jazyky?

Je jedno odkud já, či ty jsem.

Compas pomáhá lidem všem.

 

10) Žít v míru a lásce je náš sen,

společným úsilím toho dosáhnem.

Pak budou děti nejen z Peterborough mít,

takový život, který chtějí žít.

 

(Author: Pavlína Adamcová)

COMPAS has recently received a donation of Czech books from the BCHA (British Czech and Slovak Association). We would like to thank to BCHA (particularly to Mr and Mrs Peacock) for this generous collection of books. The books are now available for hire at the CS Library, located at 337, Lincoln Road in Peterborough. There are books from Karel Capek, Alois Jirasek, Jaroslav Hasek, Vitezslav Nezval, Vaclav Ctvrtek and others.

COMPAS, along with other Czech and Slovak associations from across the UK, have been invited by His Excellency, Mr. Libor Sečka, Ambassador of the Czech Republic and His Excellency, Mr. Ľubomír Rehák, Ambassador of Slovakia to the traditional Spring Celebration Majáles at the Czech and Slovak Embassies in London, on the 18th May 2018 at 4pm.

Majáles is a spring celebration and a traditional student festival organised each May in the countries of Central Europe. The Embassies of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic in London used this opportunity to also commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1918 founding of Czechoslovakia and the recognition of the Czechoslovak National Council by the British government.

   

COMPAS has recently received a very generous collection of art work, painted by Roma people living in Jarovnice village. The paintings came from ZS Jarovnice School, where Roma children are encouraged by their teacher Jan Sajko and his TA Martin Kaleja to express their ethnicity and culture in paintings.

Some of the art work is temporarily exhibited at the Advice Centre at 337, Lincoln Road in Peterborough. Anyone interested to come to see the beautiful collection can book an appointment by e-mail (contact@compas.org.uk).

Here are some examples of the art work: