Marlon's Visit
|
 Marlon arrives at Heathrow |
Tuesday 27th February
6:40pm Marlon arrives safely at Heathrow on Tuesday evening (a day later than planned, as his flight from Costa Rica had been overbooked), and is whisked off to Northampton.
Wednesday 28th February
9:00am - 10:00am Marlon meets the Northamptonshire Community Foundation who provided the grant that made his visit possible.
12:30pm - 1:30pm Marlon gives a lunchtime talk at the Open University in Milton Keynes.
2:00pm - 2:30pm The Sust! Shop in Milton Keynes holds a public meeting where Marlon talks about his experiences of fair trade projects.
4:00pm - 6:00pm Marlon participates in an Development AS-Level class at the in Milton Keynes.
Thursday 1st March
9:00am Marlon travels to Brighton, at the invitation of the Royal Society of Arts.
7:00pm - 10:00pm The Royal Society of Arts hosted a debate on fair trade, with Marlon as one of the speakers.
Friday 2nd March
9:00am Marlon is given a quick tour of London's tourist spots.
3:45pm Marlon gives a talk to Year 12 students at Campion School.
 fair trade Stall at the Grosvenor Centre |
Saturday 3rd March
10:00am - 4:00pm Marlon helps out at the fair trade stall in the Grosvenor Centre, Northampton.
Sunday 4th March
Marlon has a rest day.
Monday 5th March
9:00am - 12:00pm Marlon attends English class at Oxford College of English.
2:00pm The Chronicle & Echo interview Marlon again - this time for a feature on fair trade.
Tuesday 6th March
9:00am - 12:00pm Marlon continues his English tuition.
1:30pm - 2:00pm Marlon gave a 20 minute talk to a class at Geddington Primary Eco School today. The class were learning about fair trade and Marlon's talk was followed by a talk by the local fair trade representative. Geddington is an Eco school, the first school to be awarded this status in the county. Pam Shaw, the school's Eco and RE co-ordinator, is keen to develop links with Miraflor schools in the future.
2:30pm - 3:00pm After Geddington, we drove to Kettering and St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School. Here Marlon gave a 20 minute assembly to the whole school. Everyone listened attentively as Marlon told them about life in Sontule and the coffee harvest. After the assembly he answered questions from a year 5 class. St Thomas More has very kindly offered to do some fund raising for the Miraflor Foundation as part of it's annual fund raising during Lent.
 Marlon at Henry Chichele Primary School |
Wednesday 7th March
10:00am - 10:30am Today Marlon visited Henry Chichele Primary School in Higham Ferrers and gave a talk in their assembly. The children asked lots of great questions afterwards and were enthusiastic to hear more! The head Teacher, Stephen Hollingshurst gave Marlon some lovely presents to take back to the school in Sontule and has kindly offered to do some fund raising for the school projects in Miraflor. Many of the children are keen to be involved and are already talking about 'Money for Marlon'!
1:00pm - 4:00pm Marlon joins fair trade activists on a fair trade stall in Weston Favell shopping centre.
 Marlon at Greens Norton Primary School |
Thursday 8th March
10:00am - 10:30am Marlon returns to Campion School. to speak in front of 120 Year 12 students. Marlon focused on fair trade, the work of the Miraflor Foundation and his personal objectives for his visit to England. After the talk we discussed volunteering possibilities in Miraflor with teacher Michelle Breeze. There could be some Campion School pupils in Miraflor as early as this summer!
1:15pm - 2:00pm Marlon speaks to Year 6 students at Greens Norton Primary School. We spent the whole afternoon with this lovely Y6 class and used some activities from the Teachers Pack. Class teacher, Katy Stephens was joined by the schools MFL teacher and the schools MFL Govenor.
Friday 9th March
9:00am - 12:00pm Marlon continues his English tuition.
9:00pm - 12:00am Marlon attends the fair trade Fiesta in Wolverton.
Saturday 10th March
10:00am - 4:00pm As part of the development of a teachers pack based on Marlon's experiences, a Development Day is held at the Quaker Meeting House in Northampton.
 Gioconda, Marlon, Hilary & Martin at Whipsnade Zoo |
Sunday 11th March
1:00pm - 4:30pm Martin Roger of the Nicaragua Education Culture and Arts Trust invites Marlon to Aylesbury for a meeting with Gioconda Perez Arostegui, the Trust's representative in Nicaragua. Martin treats Marlon & friends to a trip to Whipsnade Wild Animal Park.
Monday 12th March
9:00am - 12:00pm Marlon continues his English tuition.
1:00pm - 3:00pm Marlon speaks to Years 4, 5 & 6 at Loddington School, near Kettering. Afterwards, Head Teacher, Susan Walters showed Marlon round the school and explained about all the after school clubs.
Tuesday 13th March
9:00am - 12:00pm Marlon continues his English tuition.
 Marlon at Croyland Primary School |
Wednesday 14th March
9:00am - 12:00pm Marlon continues his English tuition.
1:30pm - 3:00pm Marlon presents his talk to three classes at Croyland Primary School in Wellingborough. All the children listened attentively and asked interesting and thoughtful questions.
Thursday 15th March
9:00am - 12:00pm Marlon continues his English tuition.
2:00pm - 2:30pm Marlon gives an assembly at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Primary School
 Marlon at Oundle Primary School |
Friday 16th March
9:00am - 12:00pm Marlon continues his English tuition.
1:15pm - 3:30pm Marlon gives hour long lessons about Nicaragua and fair trade at Oundle Primary School. The children had been talking about fair trade and coffee farming before our visit so they had plenty of questions for Marlon, including "How many coffee beans in a coffee bag?"
Saturday 17th March
9:00am Marlon travels to Sheffield with Melissa to participate in Latin America Day, organised by the Sheffield - Esteli Friendship Society.
Sunday 18th March
Marlon is taken on a tour of Sheffield and sees snow in the Peak District! Arrives back in Northampton in the evening.
 Marlon at Kingsley Primary School |
Monday 19th March
10:00am - 10:30am Marlon speaks at an assembly at Havelock Junior School, near Kettering.
1:00pm - 3:00pm Marlon speaks at an assembly, then gives an hour long lesson at Kingsley Primary School, in Northampton. This year 6 class listened very attentively to Marlon and then discussed positive and negative aspects to life in Miraflor.
Tuesday 20th March
9:00am - 3:30pm Marlon spends all day giving assemblies and classes at Flore CE Primary School near Northampton. Lots of lovely classes and motivated children!
 Marlon at Kingsley Primary School |
Wednesday 21st March
9:00am - 10:30am Marlon leads an assembly and two classes at St. Andrews CE School in Kettering. St. Andrews is a fair trade school.
7:30pm - 10:30pm Marlon practices his Spanish at the The Milton Keynes Spanish Language Meetup Group.
Thursday 22nd March
9:00am - 3:30pm Marlon spends all day at Hackleton CE Primary School. Marlon loved the displays in this school!
 Marlon at The Ferrers |
Friday 23rd March
9:00am - 12:30pm The Ferrers Specialist Arts College, Higham Ferrers. Marlon did 4 talks here to y9 and y11 Geographers. Some great questions and attentive listening.
Saturday 24th March
9:00am - 1:30pm Marlon visits Willen Lake in Milton Keynes.
Sunday 25th March
 Marlon in Wenlock Books |
8:00am - 3:30pm Marlons visits Hilary's family in Much Wenlock, and visits Wenlock Books, where he was delighted to find bags made in his home community on sale.
Monday 26th March
9:00am - 3:30pm Higham Ferrers Primary, Higham Ferrers, Rushden. Another great day in Primary! Marlon talked to different year groups and answered lots of questions from pupils and staff. His finale was story time in assembly where he told the story of Tio Nacho, in Spanish!
Tuesday 27th March
9:00am - 12:00pm Marlon visits Stanwick Primary School near Wellingborough to give an all-school assembly, but unfortunately only had time to visit two classes to answer questions.
1:30am - 3:30pm Broughton Primary, Broughton, Kettering. Marlon talked about fair trade and coffee in Assembly, then gave 2 class talks about life in Sontule. Claire Short, the Head Teacher, showed Marlon round the school's vegetable garden and they swapped tips on plant rotation! We're looking forward to hearing about their coffee plants in the future!
Wednesday 28th March
9:00am - 3:30pm Guilsborough Secondary School, Guilsborough. John Ditchburn, from the Geography department, invited Marlon for the day to talk to KS3 and 6th formers about life in Nicaragua and fair trade.
Thursday 29th March
9:00am - 3:30pm Marlon revises his English.
Friday 30th March
9:00am - 3:30pm Ruskin Junior. Marlon gave his last day of talks in Northamptonshire at Ruskin Junior.
Saturday 31st March
Marlon explores the riverside walks of Northampton.
Sunday 1st April
10:00am - 2:30pm Marlon attends a trustee's meeting of The Miraflor Foundation in Northampton.
Monday 2nd April
Marlon revises his English, and explores Northampton.
Tuesday 3rd April
Marlon revises his English.
Wednesday 4th April
Marlon revises his English, and explores Northampton.
 Marlon in Sheffield |
Thursday 5th April
7:00pm Marlon heads to Sheffield with Hilary & Eoghan, for a meeting with Coralie and Melissa.
Friday 6th April
12:00pm Marlon, Hilary and Eoghan continue north to Edinburgh, stopping off to admire Durham Cathedral.
Saturday 7th April
2:00pm - 8:00pm Marlon enjoys visits the sights of Edinburgh, including the Castle, before heading to the beach at Crammond.
 Hilary & Marlon by Edinburgh Castle |
Sunday 8th April
9:00am - 3:30pm Marlon goes for a countryside walk around the village Lasswade, near Edinburgh.
Monday 9th April
9:00pm Marlon returns from Edinburgh, lunching in the market town of Carlisle.
Tuesday 10th April
Marlon revises his English notes.
Wednesday 11th April
9:00am - 5:30pm Marlon braves the British train system on his own, for a day trip to Birmingham to meet Maggie Jo, head of The NEST Trust.
Thursday 12th April
2:00pm - 3:00pm Marlon speaks to members of the Northampton branch of UNISON.
7:00pm Marlon travels to London with Melissa.
Friday 13th April
Marlon in London.
Saturday 14th April
Marlon in London.
Sunday 15th April
Marlon in London.
Monday 16th April
1:30pm Marlon travels back from London to Northampton.
Tuesday 17th April
5:00pm - 9:00pm Marlon pays a brief visit to Leamington Spa, before being taken to Leicester as a guest of the Leicester Masaya Link Group
Wednesday 18th April
9:00am - 11:00am Marlon presents a talk to a local college.
12:00pm - 5:00pm Marlon explores Leicester city centre, and surrounding attractions.
Thursday 19th April
4:00pm Marlon travels from Leicester to Sheffield, to stay with Melissa and Coralie.