Derbyshire Refugee Solidarity
People: Improving people’s mental wellbeing
We wish to sustain our programme of educational, cultural and leisure opportunities over the coming year to meet the significant increase in demand. These include gardening, music and art and sports.
About this cause
We provide aid and support to refugees and asylum seekers. Whilst we started in 2015, our focussed programme for members of the refugee/asylum seeker communities in Derbyshire really began to develop in the summer of 2018 when we gained charitable status and moved to premises near the centre of Derby. In this cheerful space we have become an established and flourishing community group, with over half our volunteers being from the refugee and asylum seeker communities. We open on Thursday and Saturday mornings to offer practical support and a range of educational, creative, sporting and leisure activities with 100-150 attending each session. We also organise specific events and visits to local places of interest, and earlier this year we were awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.
Derbyshire Refugee Solidarity website
How this cause brings people in the community together
Our project will support asylum seekers and refugees in Derby and Derbyshire who are victims of war, persecution, trouble, or catastrophe. During these challenging times, we offer a warm welcome with basic refreshments at the St Anne's Church Hall premises. On first visit we offer a backpack and items of clothing. In addition, we aim to sustain and extend aspects of our programme of activities in the face of increasing demand. These include English lessons; sessions on life in the UK and British culture; gardening; art and music; cycling and sport. The opportunity to participate, integrate and contribute to our local community are at the heart of our work.