Monday, August 31, 2009

Bradford STAR looks back over 2008-09

Social evenings, English lessons and campaigning made it a successful year for Bradford STAR as members helped local refugees and asylum seekers adjust to their new home.

Written by Larenda Twigg (Bradford STAR)

The 2008-09 school year has been an active one for the STAR group on the University of Bradford campus. We have worked to support the Bradford City of Sanctuary Project and continued to run our Monday Night Friendship Evenings, begun three years ago. For an hour and half each Monday evening during the school term, we provide a warm friendly place to welcome Asylum Seekers, Refugees, Foreign Workers and students. We have light refreshments in the form of tea, coffee and soup each week and there are toys and activities available for children. A favorite activity tends to be challenging Rev. Chris Howson to a lively game of chess or one of the STAR members to a game a Jenga.

The evening also provides a chance for people to practice their English and for STAR to try assist people with any forms, paperwork and to arrange times to meet up with people at other times during the week to accompany them to sign in with Immigration or to other appoints where having a friend and advocate along may be of help.

Due to the recent arrival of a large number of asylum seekers and refugees to Bradford from North Korea, Syria, Iran, Iraq, and Burma we found there was a demand for informal basic English lessons on our Mondays nights throughout the Spring. With the help of Bradford Action for Refugees, STAR was able to begin some basic lessons assisting with pronunciation of English and basic phrases. We hope to expand or ability to assist the English in the upcoming year with funding we have received through the Rediscover Your Heart Award, chosen by Peace Child International with funding from the Fred Foundation.

We have also received tremendous support from Rev. Chris Howson, at the Desomund Tutu House in Bradford, who along with BEACON, Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Seeker Concern, has been an advisor and advocate for our STAR group in all our projects and campaigns since STARs formation at the University of Bradford.

Posted by James Fisher on 31/08/2009 at 12:43 PM
in Group News  

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