The funded sessions at Stafford Leisure Centre on a Saturday continued. In early November, two volunteers from the Embroiderers Guild kindly ran an introductory session making Scandinavian hearts. The ladies were then invited to join the monthly EG sewing session – hopefully the Befrienders can take the ladies along to this wider community event. The women lack confidence to attend events alone. Later in November, a local musician came and ran a drumming workshop with the families.

In December, the families had energetic festive games in the hall and then enjoyed food and a visit from Santa with gifts donated again by a local Facebook group: #shoeboxes4refugees .

Into January, Sarah from Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce came to give an introductory talk to the parents about a 12 week business course specifically for refugees interested in starting their own business. At the end of the course viable business plans will then receive £1000 as a start up fund. Several of the family members were interested in pursuing this project further.

The final 3 sessions were a mixture of gymnastics sessions led by the staff of the Gymnastics club at the leisure centre, badminton for the older children and their parents and games for prizes on the final session. A local PCSO was able to visit another one of the sessions to meet the families and aim to be a friendly face for them in the future.

A follow-on programme of social events each half term including a Women’s event to celebrate Mother’s Day were all postponed until after the COVID crisis. This also included a proposed trip to Shrewsbury to meet the Syrian refugees there – after the lockdown is relaxed, all these plans will get back on track.

In October half term, 42 Syrian refugee parents and children travelled the 45 minutes to Whitemoor Lakes activity centre accompanied by 2 interpreters with their families and 2 group leaders. The families were all very excited to be away, and to share the experience with the other Syrian families. There was a packed programme with everyone aged 8 or older taking part in instructed activities within 1 of 4 groups. Each group had the opportunity to try abseiling, zip wire, climbing, obstacle course, high ropes course, archery and canoeing over the 3 days. Children aged under 8 had a programme of activities with SWR volunteers of craft, sports, toy room and a trip across to the National Memorial Arboretum to walk a nature trail and play on the play equipment. In between the activities there was a communal area for all the families to relax and chat, play table tennis or pool.

A big highlight was the disco on the middle evening, where the ladies enjoyed dancing to traditional Arabic music once the men had gone elsewhere to chat and relax. At the end of the programme, families continued to socialise in their lodge kitchenette areas with traditional snacks and drinks until late into the night. One of the Syrian families texted me afterwards “We just wanted to thank you for the amazing time we spent at Whitemoor Lakes…It was truly a wonderful lifelong experience that we shall never forget.”

Then in December Stafford Borough Council via Carolyn Trowbridge donated two tickets for “Peter Pan” pantomime. A chance to have the free tickets was given to all the local Syrian refugee families. SWR then paid for 4 more tickets so that the chosen family could all go. They attended the matinee on Sunday 22nd December and all had a wonderful time especially the 4 young children.