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This Refugee Week (16-22 June), whose theme is "Community as a Superpower" we are invited to think about how we and our communities can welcome the stranger, bring people together, bridging divides and offering support and providing spaces of resilience and places for healing.
In our Diocese, many charities and groups operate to ensure that our brothers and sisters who seek refuge here can be helped to build stable, safe new lives with us; including:
• Voices in Exile - supporting refugees, asylum seekers and those with no recourse to public funds in East and West Sussex and Surrey.
• Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group - supporting people affected by immigration detention at the two immigration removal centres in Gatwick
• Refugee Tales – a charity sharing the stories of asylum seekers and walking in solidarity with people who have been detained.
In Brighton & Hove, The Hummingbird Project works locally with young refugees and campaigns nationally.
In Surrey, Elmbridge CAN, Epsom Refugee Network, Guildford Refugee Aid and Refugee Support in Woking work to support refugees and asylum seekers in their area.
In East Sussex, Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group supports people affected by immigration detention at the two immigration removal centres in Gatwick. They always have a need for donations of men’s clothes, particularly joggers, sweaters, t-shirts and trainers.
In West Sussex, Worthing 4 Refugees and Sanctuary in Chichester help to create a culture of safety, and support refugees and asylum seekers to integrate, heal and thrive. The Adur Ukraine Support Association supports the health and wellbeing of Ukrainian refugees and promotes Ukrainian heritage and culture.
Refugees At Home connects those with a spare room in their home to refugees and people seeking asylum who are in need of somewhere to stay.
The Diocese’s Refugee Crisis Fund was established by Bishop Richard in 2015 and resources generously donated to the Fund have helped people in need of all ages and backgrounds, across our community. Click here to find out more or donate.
Have a look in your local media for events taking place throughout Refugee Week. A few in our local area include:
Stories and Sharing, 21 June, 7-9pm, St Peter's, Shoreham, BN43 5WG
Come and hear from refugees and those who support them in our local community, with opportunity for discussion & sharing food. Also in Refugee Week in Worthing & Lancing, Refugee Stations of the Cross. Click here for details.
The Walk, 21 June, 4.30pm, Epsom Picturehouse, KT19 8AG (Cost: £9.35)
The Walk (Rated PG), a Syrian documentary with English subtitles, follows Little Amal, a giant puppet representing a young Syrian refugee, as she journeys across Europe in a powerful allegory of hope and resilience. Click here to book.
Saturday Sessions: Ukrainian Choir, 21 June, 1pm, Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham (free)A heartfelt performance from the collaboration of Ukrainian Voices of Brighton and Nebo I Zemlya of Lewes, a vibrant and passionate community choir representing people of all ages and backgrounds, both from different parts of Ukraine and England. Their repertoire spans both traditional Ukrainian folk songs and modern pieces, offering a diverse musical experience that highlights the richness of Ukrainian culture. Click here for details.
Refugee Week Service, 22 June, 11am-12pm, Brighton Unitarian Church, BN1 1UF.
Through the images and words of refugees and migrants, Rev Jennifer Sanders will reflect on the diversity of faith in our city and celebrate the work of Voices in Exile, a Brighton charity based at The Fitzherbert Community Hub at St John the Baptist Catholic Church.
