It's been great reading about the Stories of Welcome across Southwark Diocese celebrated during Refugee Week 2022.
In particular we noted the Stories from our local area with the Hong Kong Welcome from St Dunstan's Primary School and Homes for Ukraine from Christ Church Sutton.
These are just two initiatives highlighting what we as a community can influence and do locally to welcome those who may be asylum seekers, migrants and refugees from all over the world.
Here in Southwark the Stories of Welcome celebrated in Refugee Week included St Dunstan’s Primary School in Cheam, who have enjoyed getting to know new classmates from Hong Kong who have arrived in the UK over the last year.
From that story: ‘Their more established classmates have evidently enjoyed the way that their ‘new friends have expanded their horizons, teaching them new games, words and introducing them to Chinese cookies, moon cakes and movie characters. The newcomers have won their admiration; “They have been very brave about coming to a new place”, “I like how they are really enthusiastic… and aren’t afraid to ask questions… and tell us about their culture”.
The BRIDGE July /August 2022
Well done St Dunstan's Primary School - this is great to hear what you're doing and alongside this we, at Cheam Parish, will be running a Welcome to the UK course for newly arrived HKers in the Autumn.
In the meantime - let's have a think about how we can all make our churches and communities more welcoming? This was also a theme that was discussed at Ignite 22 and if you'd like to get more involved - please do email us at ignitefeedback@cheamparish.org.uk.
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