AUTUMN NEWSLETTER
November 2024
It’s time for an update on TWR’s work as 2024 rushes to its conclusion. Our summer newsletter got waylaid amidst all the things we were busy with. But we do want to explain where we find ourselves in this ever-changing landscape of immigration and resettlement.
We have continued with the Ukrainian English Lessons and even expanded our remit. Many people are now employed locally so unable to attend the Monday and Wednesday classes in person. Although there are still two classes each morning at the QMH – Level B1 for newcomers and Level A2 for the cohort who are improving, we now have a third Online class in the early evenings to help those who are working. The A2 class is full. The B1 class is fuller. And the Online class is very full. But if you meet any Ukrainian who needs help with their English do still encourage them to contact us. We don’t want to leave anyone out and there are other classes running in Taunton that we can suggest if we can’t help them ourselves. Thanks firstly to Katya, the wonderful teacher who attracts students like a magnet! And thanks too to Somerset Council for awarding us a grant to cover the costs of running these classes. Sadly, there is still a real need for them.
Friends of TWR –
Just to help to understand our costs a little here are some headline figures which may help to put this in perspective:
Regular costs we fund raise to meet:
£95 per week for rooms for Coffee and Conversation
£60 per week for bus fares for refugees to travel to take part in the C&C sessions
£395 per year for insurance costs
£500 per year for accountancy fees
Of course there are many other costs involved in keeping us viable but those help to get a flavour. We have set up Friends of TWR because we often meet people who would like to endorse the work we do but are not in a position to get actively involved. However they would consider getting involved by supporting us financially. If you meet anyone who would be interested in making one off or subscription donations to our charitable work, please direct them to our webpage www.tauntonwelcomerefugees.co.uk/friends. Thank you.
Taunton English Conversation & Coffee continues to be extremely well attended. We meet so many nationalities now. It’s a microcosm of the tropical world – along the equator from Afghanistan through north Africa to Ecuador and Central America. Why are there so many societies that people feel the need to escape from? Not everyone we meet is a refugee or person seeking asylum. There is a big range of other communities working locally and we now have a reputation for helping all. Our volunteers sometimes question why we absorb people who can stand on their own two feet – but we like the way having a variety of people in different financial circumstances adds to our group. People benefit from understanding each other’s situations. That said, we maintain a balance that means that our core group are always going to be in the majority.
Of course, not everyone can get to Taunton so Bridgwater C&C was set up in March 2024, in response to a need identified to support Refugees in Bridgwater. The refugee families supported by TWR in Bridgwater have young children who attend pre-school part time. They do not have enough time to drop off, get to Taunton by bus (which can be unreliable) and return to pick up in time. This is a project run in conjunction with Diversity Voice. They are based at the Victoria Park Community Centre.
Ali writes “We are term time only as when the schools are closed it is much harder for the ladies to attend and we also would not have the space to accommodate that many children and parents. As of September, 3 families now attend College on a Monday morning. This is a real positive for those families”. This demonstrates how, given an opportunity to consolidate English skills outside of a formal classroom environment, C&C can lead people into college. And she is delighted that “initially A would translate for B. A now attends College. C has started with us and B now translates for C. This is a massive positive and such a pleasure to watch”.
In both places that TWR runs C&C we support with transport to and back from the venue. Our bus fare repayments have mounted a bit scarily this year and we must thank Hinkley Point Community Fund for their financial assistance towards Hall Hire and Transport but, yet again, we need to reapply for more money.
In the last few months there has been an increase in the number of families being resettled locally through the Afghan Resettlement Programme. The council have introduced TWR to them and we have set up several new Befriending Circles. They are also brought along to EC&C. It doesn’t always appeal to everyone, but some of them have become regular attendees. We are fascinated to observe how the adults react to each other. There are codes of behaviour that we do not understand and can only guess at. There is such a formality in their greeting – they enquire of each other how they are, how they are feeling, how their wife/husband is, how their children are, their parents and siblings are well too? All this must not be interrupted. Once business is concluded you can ask if it is a good day for them today before settling down to some English!
Recently we had a visit from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service. Simon came to a Conversation session and gave a talk about how to keep your family safe at home. He came prepared with lots of visual props in the form of smoke detectors, extension cables, phone chargers and the like. Together with some very valuable translation work by Monir who ensured that the Afghan people understood everything, we managed to get his message across to seven resettled Syrian and Afghan families. Three then signed up for a Free Home Safety Visit. This is something he would encourage everyone to ask for. So befrienders please do mention this to ‘your’ families.
There were plenty of volunteers who also listened and learned – we certainly didn’t have all the most recent information about how most house fires start. But the main message we took away was to get your children and yourself out of the house with your phone and keys. Shut the door and call 999. *Get out. Stay out.*
Our ‘Training’, also referred to as Preparation, is well-respected amongst local charities. This year we have welcomed lots of new Volunteers to join TWR in a variety of roles. Many choose to get involved with Conversation, some start as Befrienders, or join the Training Team, others support us with expertise in grant applications or website improvements. Everyone is DBS checked which means we can react quickly to needs if they arise. When you are at an interface with vulnerable people this is very important. We need to be certain of who we are introducing to whom. Our 2025 Preparation Training dates have now been confirmed and our first session will be on Saturday February 8 in Taunton, with others in May, September and November.
If you are interested in attending one of our training days, please do contact Esther Checketts . She would love to hear from you.
As part of the Grant Committee’s role we prepare Reports to send out to the Foundations and Funds that support us. We like to include some good news stories. We do, after all, often have happy endings to our relationships with people seeking asylum. Here are a couple of examples. Please bear in mind whilst reading them that many months or even years have passed when it has been extremely difficult for people, waiting and not knowing how things would turn out.
Unusually, a group of three brothers arrived – all well-educated and with pretty good English. To begin with they are sociable and keen to interact. A long period passes. They sink into depression and we see little of them. But eventually they are called for interview and are given Right to Remain. Now they come back to us and we can help them again. It has been impossible to cheer them up throughout the long months of waiting. One brother decides to make his life in London. Two like the countryside and decide to stay here. They have found a flat in Wellington, they have passed their driving tests and managed to buy a cheap car. Having transport means they can get to work. They started with night shifts at Morrisons, but now do Amazon deliveries. Although they completed the NHS training scheme they were over-qualified for the jobs offered. This is a very good start for them. Hopefully they will move on again to jobs that they are really suited to in the future.
A couple were regulars at Conversation. They are professional people. Friends at the hotel introduced them to TWR during an extremely difficult and depressive period of their lives. Conversation sessions were an escape from their problems. Because they could communicate effectively they easily made friends with some of our volunteers. Having left their families and friends at home, this was massively important to them and improved their mental health and self-belief. They learned about British culture and traditions whilst improving their spoken English. They have now received their Right to Remain cards and have moved to London to rebuild their professional lives.
I have just looked back through the register and they came to nearly every session from January to July 2024.
And there are positive things happening in the Resettled families too.
An Afghan family whose son has just started an Apprenticeship going to Bristol for work, studying online lectures, and to London once a month on an apprenticeship placement.
A Kurdish girl who has managed to get a place on the Foundation Art & Design course which includes access to Level 1 English classes at Bridgwater & Taunton College. She is working part time at the cafe in the library and has exhibited her art and sold several pictures.
With regret we have taken the decision not to produce Christmas Cards this year. The rising cost of postage has affected the tradition of sending them out. However, we do have some stock left over from previous years so if you would like to support us again by buying some of the Three Kings or Donkey cards please do get in touch. They will be discounted to £10 for a pack of 10. Collection from QMH only. This will be on a ‘first come’ basis so do send a message to Lou if you would like to buy some .
And on that note, as we hurtle towards Christmas and the shortest day – or Yalda the Longest Night, in Persian culture – we had better get this Autumn Newsletter sent out!
TWR would like to say a big thank you to Kate Murdoch for compiling our TWR Newsletters!
