As we move into October, the Justice and Peace Refugee Project continues to welcome hundreds of people who are using our services every month, with new clients registering each week from many different places in the world. Of course, we could not support so many clients without the generous and on-going contributions of food, toiletries and finance from parishes, schools and individuals. We were delighted to recently receive a huge donation of food items from the Youth Ministry Team at Emmaus Village and we are grateful that they are demonstrating such compassion and support for those in need in our community. Many thanks!
In addition to providing clients with much needed food, toiletries, second hand clothing and household items, our Project Co-ordinator, Azad, continues to engage with different organisations which could be of benefit to our clients. For example, several clients who have recently received leave to remain have been signposted to Reed in Partnership, an organisation that supports individuals with opportunities to start working and fulfil their potential. Azad has also met with Citizens UK, an organisation that brings together local people and organisations to build a better, fairer society. We look forward to working with them in the future on campaigns to assist asylum seekers in the North East.
Several of our clients enjoyed an Away Day at Haydon Bridge recently. Around 40 mothers, children and destitute female clients took part in a joyful day organised by the parishioners of St John of Beverley’s Church in their grounds. Clients were given a wonderful welcome and took part in lots of indoor and outdoor activities, organised by volunteers from the parish. They also enjoyed lunch provided by the parish. We are very grateful to the parishioners and project volunteers who organised and took part in these activities and provided our clients with such an enjoyable event and the opportunity to have a break from some of the difficulties they face in their daily lives.
The project relies on the generous time given by our volunteers (there are currently about 45) who fulfil a range of roles. We would love to hear from people who might like to get involved and make a real difference to the lives of those who visit us. If you are interested, please contact our Project Co-ordinator, Azad.
We continue to rely on the generosity of individuals and parishes for donations for which we are incredibly grateful. Items most urgently needed can be found here. As we continue to support more than 500 clients and their families each month, financial support for our work is also essential. Details of our bank account (DHN Justice & Peace Refugee Project) can be found on our webpage. Please consider Gift-Aiding your donation, if possible, it makes a big difference. You can download and submit a Gift-Aid Declaration form for a single or multiple donation. Visit our Donate and Gift Aid page now.
For more details about our work and how you can assist, please contact our Project Co-ordinator by email: jp.refugeeproject@diocesehn.org.uk or visit our webpage.