“When we explained the furniture was for refugees, he said he’d move everything for free.”
Ruth leads the Ripon City of Sanctuary Community Sponsorship group. Here she tells us all about preparing the application form, finding a house for the family, and sourcing free furniture thanks to the generosity of people in Ripon.
“We tried to make the house into a home”
Ruth’s Community Sponsorship group recently welcomed a refugee family to Ripon. Here she tells us about getting the house ready, stocking the fridge with familiar foods, and organising a tea party with the family’s new neighbours.
“They’re like another family now”
Ali is a Palestinian refugee who was born and raised in Lebanon. A trained nurse, he’s come to the UK to work for the NHS. Ali was welcomed to his new home in Doncaster by a group of local people as part of the Neighbours for Newcomers programme for refugee nurses. Here Ali tells us what this opportunity means to him, how his new neighbours have welcomed him, and how he’s learning the Yorkshire accent.
“It’s really special knowing that hundreds of people in Ripon have donated so that a refugee family can find safety here.”
Community Sponsorship groups are required to raise £9000 to resettle a refugee family. Ruth Foulds leads the Ripon City of Sanctuary Community Sponsorship group. They’ve raised more than £6000 so far. Here she tells us how they’ve approached fundraising.