Refugee Week Celebration

Refugee Week this year had the theme of ‘Community as a Superpower’. The celebration, held on Thursday 19th June, saw about 80 people filling the church, including many of the asylum seekers who were there for the weekly food parcels’ distribution and stayed on. There were testimonies from volunteers, supporters and guests, as well as songs (one written specifically for the occasion by Cecil) from Cecil and Flora. Jean Rippon, one of the founders of Open Doors, shared her experience through the years, marked by moments of great joy but also of great sorrow. She considers helping asylum seekers a great privilege, and she has made many wonderful friends through doing it. She expressed her thanks to all the donors, who have kept the project going through thick and thin, and thanked God for the many answered prayers for cash, duvets (!) and all sorts of other needs over the years. Two poems (reproduced below), written especially for the occasion by Cecil, were read by Susan and Flora. Jayne Mercer from CIAC gave the key-note. We thank the kitchen team who provided a delicious lunch, with a special mention to Fiona for embellishing the tables with exquisite flower arrangements! We also thank the Red Cross team who welcomed visitors at the door with slices of water melons, much appreciated in the hot weather!  An unexpected and much appreciated surprise at the end of the celebration was a splendid basket full of goodies offered by two representatives of  ‘Welcome House’: we thank Bashir Shiraz, who led Open Doors and contributed to its growth for many years, and his team for this kind gesture and wish him and Welcome House all the very best for the future.