Bromsgrove & Redditch Welcome Refugees is a community group of people who welcome and support Syrian and Afghan refugees locally. Our group is open to all, of all faiths and none, and all political persuasions and none. We call on all citizens of Bromsgrove and Redditch to join us in this work.
You can now donate to our Not For Profit organisation via PayPal. Thank you for your generosity.
Facts about the Syrian conflict
Since March 2011
- Death toll 400,000
- Political prisoners 150,000
- Over 17,723 Syrians killed in regime prisons by torture, starvation and execution
- 50% of Syria's population displaced by the conflict: 6 million internally displaced, 5 million refugees
The Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme
The refugees admitted under the SVPR scheme will be granted five years’ Humanitarian Protection including the right to work, eligibility for welfare benefits, access to statutory services such as health and education, as well as the right to apply for family reunification. It is operating in conjunction with the UNHCR, who are helping the government identify those individuals who are most vulnerable and cannot be adequately protected in the region.
How can we all help?
We now support 20 Syria refugees in Redditch (arrived in 2016) and 20 in Bromsgrove (arrived 2018/2019). Worcestershire County Council in partnership with Refugee Action and Spring Housing has provided private sector rented accommodation with basic furnishings. We have augmented this with better quality soft furnishings such as warm duvets, softer pillows, rugs, TVs, warm clothing, toys for the children etc. All these have either been donated to us or paid for by donated funds or money from fund raising events.
We provide a conversation café in both Bromsgrove and Redditch for our Syrian friends to practise their English. We provide lifts to doctor, hospital and dental appointments where required. In order to facilitate friendships with each other and help them integrate with local people, we provide a bi-monthly lunch hub with bring and share food, open to all. We also provide a craft club in Redditch and arrange social events and outings to other places. Last, but not least, we provide friendship and help with day to day problems such as difficulties with paying bills, attending the job centre and applying for jobs.
Our biggest challenge is to get and keep enough volunteers to help us undertake the tasks outlined above. We particularly need befrienders and people willing to help with fund raising events, as we do not receive any other regular funding. This is where you come in!