Bude Welcomes Refugees

A page to lobby for the welcome of refugees in Bude, Cornwall and facilitate the collection of donations in Bude to be sent to refugee camps.

Who are Bude Refugee Support Group?
Bude Refugee Support Group is a gathering of local people who have met and worked together since the summer of 2015 in response to the enduring conflict in Syria, a tragedy embodied for many in the image of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi whose body was recovered from a Mediterranean beach as his family sought sanctuary in Europe. We have no political affiliation and we work solely to meet the suffering which has arisen from the Syrian crisis with a local and practical humanitarian response.

Who are Bude Welcomes Refugees?
Bude Welcomes Refugees is the project within Bude Refugee Support Group preparing to welcome two Syrian Refugee families to the safety of Bude through the government’s community sponsorship scheme. By donating to Bude Welcomes Refugees, you will be directly supporting two Syrian families who have fled the war to begin new lives in Bude.

How can I help?
We are asking people to contribute in any way they can. To ensure income over the indicated two-year support period, we are suggesting people consider giving £5 per month for 20 months (£100), which you can do by clicking the ‘Donate’ button on the home page of our Facebook page (Bude Welcomes Refugees). However, one-off or monthly donations of any size are all wonderful, and we are deeply grateful for whatever people can give. You will find ways to give through Paypal or Visa credit and debit cards, as well as other card payment options, by clicking the ‘Donate’ button on the Facebook page. You do not have to use Facebook or have a Paypal account to give this way. Otherwise you can make a bank transfer to Barclays account ‘Bude Refugee Support Group’, sort code 20 45 45, account number 43229335. If you want advice on giving, please contact our treasurer, Joan Fennell: joan@puddleduckvalley. co. uk, or call Mary Whibley on 01288 331424.

Where will my money go?
As guests with fully-screened (by the UNHCR and the Home Office) refugee status and a five-year humanitarian visa, the families we welcome will be eligible for financial support and have access to the labour market, but they will arrive with nothing. As community sponsors we are responsible for paying for:
• Expenses for immediate needs while benefit allowances are processed.
• Initial interpreter fees, then ongoing ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) teaching and support (minimum 10 hrs /week for the first twelve weeks, and minimum 5 hrs /week for a further nine months).
• Rental supplements to the local authority housing rate to meet expected rental in the local private housing sector.
• If appropriate, conversion training for professional qualifications not recognized in the UK.
• School Uniforms.
• Phone / internet expenses.
• Transport costs.
• Training / education fees.
We are expected by the Government to raise a minimum of £20, 000 to receive two families. Bude Refugee Support Group is made up of volunteers who receive no payment.

What else does Bude Refugee Support Group do?
We run monthly collections of clothing, equipment for shelter, and food and medical supplies for refugees. Donated items are taken to Wadebridge, from where they are transported to refugees along with other items collected from all over Cornwall. Over time, more and more is being donated. Our members also regularly lobby our MP, Scott Mann, and Cornwall County Council, as well as members of the Government, to ensure that promises made to help refugees are kept. In April this year we ran an evening entitled 'To Syria with Love' at Rosie's at Crooklets beach. We wondered whether anyone would come along; in the event the place was packed. During the evening we heard from a speaker from Aleppo in Syria about his city before he came to the UK to study, ahead of the outbreak of war five years ago. We also heard from one of our local RNLI lifeguards who has now made two visits to Lesvos, helping with rescues at sea.

How can I get involved?
We need help with transporting donations of clothes and other supplies. We also need volunteers for campaigning and fundraising events. Subject to our approval as community sponsors, we will need volunteers to help with befriending activities, community familiarisation, and transport, etc. All volunteers will be DBS checked. Please register your interest with our secretary Mary Whibley on 01288 331424, or mary. whibley@gmail.com. Let us know any relevant skills you have, for example teaching skills, language skills, IT, work with refugees, etc.

What happens to the money if Bude Welcomes Refugees’ application to the community sponsorship scheme is not successful?
We are confident Bude Welcomes Refugees application will be successful. But in the unlikely event our application is refused, all funds raised will be dispersed to causes supporting the welfare of refugees in Europe and the countries adjacent to Syria.