Refugee Rights United Kingdom Project #62126

Home for our Charity

by Darlington Assistance for Refugees

Project Report | Feb 24, 2025
Christmas

By Fran Wood | CEO

Albanian food

Our Darlington community were just as generous this year and we were overwhelmed again by their support.

Carmel College School made 54 beautiful hampers for some of our most vulnerable asylum seekers. Reid Street Primary School collected boxes of donations to go towards our 270 Gift bags. We were helped by generous donations from some of our amazing supporter.

The fundraising team spent a day at Clarey's house sorting donations, buying gifts and packing gift bags which were taken to our drop in and distributed to our clients with the help of children from Reid Street Primary School. Our Mentors collected the wonderful hampers from Carmel College.

It was good to end the year on a positive note. This summer we saw how quickly misinformation becomes a weapon to attack innocent vulnerable people. Although the situation in nearby Middlesbrough was terrifying for migrants, the mosque in Darlington was under threat by some mindless people. Fortunately, there were more of us (from all faiths and none) supporting the mosque. Standing alongside our incredible asylum seekers we could see how hard they found the general unrest and this increased their anxiety levels.

Our Sewing project is going great guns with more donated machines and a much needed Christmas donation from Ward Hadaway Solicitors. We have been able to service our existing machines, buy 2 more and buy material to make cushion covers and more bunting.

The Cooking project has been exploring all the cultural food our asylum seekers teach us - Georgian, Albanian, Somalian, Iranian, Kurdish, Syrian, Nigerian. We are hoping to expand our knowledge and taste buds. Unfortunately, we have had to move from the venue we started in because they were unable to accommodate any storage for our sewing or cooking groups. This had an impact on our volunteers who had to store equipment at home and then bring it to the sessions - some of us were beginning to suffer from bad backs. The new place has some limited storage but there are many more drawbacks around parking and access. How good it would be to have everything in one place!

This year we have recorded over 5,600 volunteer hours from our 45 active volunteers who have supported 373 asylum seekers and refugees.

cooking

Hampers from Carmel College

Gift bags

sewing group

eating together

Links:

Our website

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Oct 28, 2024
Countering the wave of anti-immigration protests

By Fran Wood | CEO

Some of our sewing group

The build up of anti-migrant rhetoric fuelled by social media activitists from countries far away from us, resulted in a schism in our society, even in Darlington, during this summer.

The donations we have received through GlobalGiving bring balance and hope to what we do - Thank you.

Our volunteers have the privilege of walking alongside those who have had to make the painful decision to leave everything they have known and endure a treacherous journey to safety and the unknown. As Warsan Shire, poem "Home", says, "No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark..."

Whilst international Migration has always remained stable at around 3% of the global population (How Migration Really Works by Hein de Haas 2023), those of them who are refugees seeking protection are 0.7% and 70% of them are sheltering in neighbouring countries (IRC Refugee facts and statistics - updated 3/06/2024). Those who arrive in our country for sanctuary are less than 0.01% (de Haas 2023) of international migrants. Despite all these figures it has been easy to drive a wedge of fear of "the other" in our society.

Our charity deals with individuals whose lives have been changed by conflict and persecution. Some have harrowing stories which are too painful to share but which we see in their eyes. Hearing your father being tortured in a neighbouring room in your home, seeing your brother shot in front of your home, carrying the evidence of severe beatings on your back. We have been able to offer specialist trauma counselling to some of these amazing people. Alongside this we run practical classes which attempt to help our asylum seekers to forget their traumas for a few hours. Our sewing project runs monthly sessions for twenty two men and women supported by our volunteers who look after the children, carry in heavy machines and bake cakes for the sessions. Our cooking project gives asylum seekers the opportunity to share their cultures through food, to use English in teaching us new recipes and sitting around the table to eat what has been made. Again, our volunteers carry in crates of equipment to the hired church hall kitchen. Above all of this our Mentors are the bridge of friendship between the vulnerable and our community. How wonderful it will be when we finally have a base we can make a home for all as well as store all of our equipment and offer activities on a daily basis.

Our footballers have had successes this year with two of them being recruited into our Darlington Football Team. One of our boxers has brought success to the club we send him to winning two regional matches already.

Here is what one of our asylum seeker has written - he is from Syria and just 20 yrs of age.

"In May 2024, I arrived in Darlo, a small town that welcomed me and became part of my bizarre journey. As I looked through the window of the blue van while entering the outskirts of town, I felt an inexplicable sense of comfort. I can’t quite explain the origin or nature of that feeling—I was just… calm. This was an emotion I had lost somewhere along the road. Being warmly welcomed by my soon-to-be roommates, and Carol, my house manager, made me feel even more at ease, as though I was opening a new chapter with an initial silver lining.

A few days later, I was introduced to Dar and the staff who worked and volunteered to create a heartwarming and loving environment for newcomers in Darlington. My strongest bond was with Dee, who became one of the most reliable cornerstones I could lean on in various situations.

However, the purpose of this article is to highlight how important sport was in the initial phase, especially for mental health. So, I’ll focus on that and save the good things I want to say about Dee for another time.

When I first arrived in Darlo, and the U.K. in general, I was filled with uncertainty, particularly due to the growing political discussions in the country around the refugee situation. This took a toll on my mental health, and I imagine it did the same for others. At least I have the privilege to speak about it.

In these types of circumstances—high-pressure and tense situations—people develop different coping mechanisms. For example, I tend to listen to metal music and cook. But I was introduced to a new way to cope with the pressure. One day at the Dar drop-in, Dee suggested I check out the boxing gym “Old School Boxing,” where one of my roommates had been training for a while. He took me with him one sunny day in June, through North Lodge Park."

At that session, Mike greeted me with a smile that has never left his face to this day—and I hope it never does. He’s not only an amazing and professional coach, but also a wonderful human being who deserves the best.

When I go to a boxing session, I lose all sense of reality, whether good or bad, positive or negative. I simply disconnect, which, in my opinion, is a necessity in this fast-paced life. It’s especially important when you’re far from family, uncertain of what the future holds, and grappling with a complex background and a long list of questions that could easily drive a 20-year-old to overthink themselves into the depths of anxiety.

On behalf of myself, and I’m sure many others who have had similar experiences, THANK YOU. We hope to one day repay even a small part of our debt to this amazing community."

We hope to have better news about our base when we share our next report.

Our cooking group

Cooking a Georgian meal

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Jul 9, 2024
Refugee Week and more!

By Fran Wood | CEO

DAR is so pleased to share the incredible journey we’re on with Refugees and Asylum Seekers Together (RAST)! From welcoming our very first employee to launching life-changing initiatives, our community is thriving like never before. Here's a glimpse into our vibrant world:

**Meet Our Office Manager: The Game Changer**

We’ve appointed our first Office Manager, and we couldn’t be more excited! This key player is set to supercharge our efforts, helping us establish a base and expand the vital support we offer to asylum seekers and refugees.

**Introducing RAST: A Beacon of Hope and Resilience**

Say hello to RAST – a group of extraordinary individuals who bring firsthand experience of the British asylum system. Their wisdom and strength are guiding us in creating an accessible, welcoming base for all, ensuring we stay attuned to the ever-changing needs of those seeking sanctuary in the UK.

**Sewing Group: Crafting Dreams with Every Stitch**

Our sewing group is buzzing with creativity! Thanks to the donation of four new sewing machines, 22 enthusiastic asylum seekers (including two men) are busy crafting beautiful bunting for the Darlington Community Carnival and aprons for our Multicultural Cooking Club. The pièce de résistance? A giant community quilt that will grace our new base, providing warmth and a sense of belonging. Imagine children snuggling under it as circus performers dazzle them with their acts! Thanks to funding from the County Durham Community fund for getting us started. A huge shoutout also to the Newcastle Building Society staff in Darlington for generously offering their community room free of charge. Your support is making magic happen!

**Multicultural Cooking Club: Where Cultures and Flavors Unite**

Our cooking club is on fire! Three of our talented chefs have already earned their Food Safety qualifications. During a recent combined craft workshop and cooking session, we served up delicious meals to 30 people in one day. Our Iranian circus performers, now granted leave to remain, have been delighting our chefs' children with their circus skills workshops during holiday sessions. It's a beautiful fusion of cultures and talents!

**Refugee Week: Celebrating Unity and Triumph**

Refugee Week was a whirlwind of joy and achievements! We proudly entered four teams in the Justice First International Tournament, making it to the quarter-finals for the first time and clinching the Curtiss Fleming award. One of our star players is even being trialed with Darlington Football Club – talk about dreams coming true!

Our events at the Forum Music Centre in Darlington were a hit:

- **Games Night Extravaganza:** Bingo in multiple languages, bringing everyone together for a night of fun.

- **Film Night:** Screening "Limbo," followed by a heartfelt discussion led by our treasured refugees from Syria and Russia.

- **Music Night:** A packed house enjoying mesmerizing performances on the tabla, oud, and more.

- **Community Walk:** A serene stroll around the river, celebrating unity and the beauty of our diverse community.

**The Road Ahead: Building Our Future Together**

We’re tirelessly applying for funding to establish our permanent base and explore every possible avenue. With your support, we know we can achieve this dream.

Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Together, we’re transforming lives and building a brighter future for all.

Stay tuned for more updates, and let’s keep this momentum going!

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