Stories tagged Impact
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“I'm so proud of the communities across Devon that have come together to welcome refugees”
So far 8 families have been welcomed to Devon since Community Sponsorship began in the UK. Here the Resettlement Coordinator at Devon County Council, Stephen Matthewman, shares their experiences of working with Community Sponsorship groups reflects on the benefits that welcoming refugees has had on Devon communities.
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“Well, now you have sons”
Community Sponsorship volunteer Svenja Powell is one of the founding members of Canterbury Welcomes Refugees. The group first welcomed a Syrian refugee family in 2019: a mother and father, their two grown-up sons and their two primary-age children. Here Svenja tells us about lifting language barriers, a cautious introduction to Father Christmas and doorstep story-telling during lockdown.
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“Helping this family has been a big turning point in my life.”
After a long career in early years education and family support, Carol was ready to make the most of her retirement. Then, very suddenly, her husband Mike became unwell. He was diagnosed with cancer and passed away just six months later. Here Carol shares her memories of that difficult time and describes how volunteering with her local Community Sponsorship group gave her life a new purpose.
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“I was completely shocked as it was raining in the summer.”
Khalid had been offered the opportunity to resettle in America and in Canada but he had declined both, so keen was he to be able to return home to Syria. His children had been so disappointed that when he received a third phone call he didn’t even wait for the caller to finish their sentence before saying ‘yes we will travel’. Here he talks to us about his fears before travel, the warm welcome and how Cardiff now feels like home.
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“I’ll never be able to put into words just how happy I was in that moment at the airport.”
Mamoun was resettled in Devon with his wife Amneh and their 5 children after fleeing Syria. He explains the impact that resettlement has had on his family and the joy of reuniting with his brother.
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“It is quite remarkable that they have put their roots in the ground now.”
Qaiser Malik is a founding member of the multifaith Redbridge Community Sponsorship Partnership. The group welcomed a Syrian family to London back in 2019. Here, Qaiser shares his memories of their arrival and tells us how they’ve settled into the community.
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“It was the first time we ever saw something like this.”
Amira, Rashed and their three daughters arrived in Northern Ireland in September 2019, where they were welcomed by the Small World Community Sponsorship group. With Christmas just a couple of weeks away we thought we would talk to Amira about her first Christmas in the UK. She shares her surprise at her daughters’ star turns and why she thinks getting involved in each other’s festivities is so important.
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“Now I realised the real greatness of community groups.”
Khalid, his wife and their four children settled in Cardiff in 2019. Before his first Ramadan in the UK, Khalid was worrying about what to expect. Here he explains how the experience was actually a breakthrough moment for him in feeling welcomed and supported.
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“Our duty to our neighbours beyond the UK will still exist when we emerge from this pandemic.”
Jackie McLoughlin, founder of the Sutton Deanery Community Sponsorship Group, was awarded Maundy Money in an 800-year-old tradition which sees people doing outstanding work in their communities recognised by the reigning monarch on Maundy Thursday. Jackie tells us what Community Sponsorship means to her and why she believes that more people should be sponsoring refugees.
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“We felt safe”
When asked how he and wife Amira felt when they arrived in Northern Ireland in September 2019, Rashed simply says: “We felt safe.” The couple and their daughters were welcomed to Whitehead by the Small World Community Sponsorship Group. Here they share their memories of the first few days.
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“We were one unit, one spirit, one humanity.”
In 2017, people from different faith groups across Redbridge* were brought together by one goal: they all wanted to help a Syrian family find safety in the UK. They became The Redbridge Community Sponsorship Partnership and, in June 2019, they welcomed a refugee family to their borough. Here, we talk to Qaiser Malik from South Woodford Mosque and Pete Southern from Wanstead Quakers about how the group came together.
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“You are creating a story that they will tell for the rest of their lives.”
Abdulrahman is a member of the Waltham Forest Community Sponsorship Partnership group. Here, he tells us how his own experience of coming to the UK has informed and inspired his volunteering.
Films
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“It has brought us closer together.”
Iman Khan from Kettering Refugee Assistance tells us about why he got involved in Community Sponsorship and the impact that it's had on his community.
In the media
More media coverage-
June 15th, 2021
The Cambridgeshire town that bought a Syrian refugee family a home
We met with one incredible town to learn why they bought a Syrian family their own home.
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October 25th, 2020
“Scotland is our second home”
Basma Hamadeh and her family were welcome to Edinburgh by Scotland’s first Community Sponsorship group.
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May 21st, 2020
“Their support was life changing for me and my family”
Abdullah Alkhalaf explains how Community Sponsorship impacted him and calls for more people to sponsor refugees.
