St.Chad's Sanctuary in Birmingham arranged a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon for a group of asylum seekers on Wednesday, the 27th of July. The coach took 45 minutes to reach the city.
Stratford is the birth place of William Shakespeare (1564-1616). He spent the last five years of his life in Stratford. When he died, at the age of 52, he was buried in Holy Trinity Church. Other members of his family were buried in the same church, next to his grave.
Shakespeare’s ability to express the range of human emotions in simple but very poetic verse is perhaps the greatest reason for his lasting popularity. Actors consider playing a Shakespearean character the most difficult and most rewarding role possible. He wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets (a sonnet is a type of poem made up of 12 or 14 lines).
The city was crowded with people on a fine sunny day. Most of them were tourists eager to see the city and relics of the great poet. We saw the house where he was born, the Centre of Shakespearean Studies, and the house where he spent his final years. We also saw the theatres and the Holy Trinity Church. The church is a beautiful building, still retaining its splendour since it was built. The interior of the church is traditional but beautifully decorated. At the far end of the church are the stone graves of Shakespeare and his close relatives. The graves are flat with the ground and there is a stone at the head of Shakespeare's grave with an inscription where he put a curse on anyone who would try and move his body.
The city has many cafes and restaurants and shops. The shops have many souvenirs of Shakespeare. A few bookshops show many books and drawings of the poet. There is a canal with many boats carrying the visitors. There are many good hotels too. Shakespeare brought fame and benefited his city during his life and after his death.
The trip is a memorable event for every asylum seeker taking part in it. Such activities are useful to educate, integrate and entertain those taking part in them.
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