Hopes are high that a refugee family will be safely relocated to Nidderdale by Christmas.
Nidderdale Community Welcome has, through donations and fundraising events, built up a fund of approximately £11,500.
Peter Wright, who is heading the initiative, told the Stray Ferret:
“This is a tremendous effort, when bearing in mind that a lot of our activities have been virtual because of the covid lockdowns.”
He added:
“It illustrates that the Nidderdale community is caring, compassionate and willing to help a family in desperate circumstances to re-build their lives here.”
Peter Wright and supporters of Nidderdale Community Welcome prepare to bring a refugee family to the dales
The aim is to hit an initial target of £13,000 to provide the financial support that the family will need.
Finding a three-bedroom house in or near Pateley Bridge is the top priority and the search is on for a landlord with a suitable property available to let by the end of the summer.
Mr Wright pointed out:
“If we can secure this, there is every chance that we can have a home ready for the family to move into before Christmas.
“It doesn’t have to be in perfect decorative order, because we have a team of volunteers ready to help out.”
With lockdown restrictions easing, Nidderdale Community Welcome has been able to organise ever-more ambitious fundraising events.
The latest one is a treasure hunt – called Le Mo-Tour for Refugees, involving a 60-mile tour of the local dales.
It runs between July 10 and August 20 and is open to anybody who wishes to take part in return for a £10 team donation.
Participants must register at nc-welome.org to receive a clue sheet for the hunt.
While the fundraising continues, the formal behind-the-scenes processes involved in progressing the community support programme is ongoing.
To be involved in the Home Office-backed scheme, Nidderdale Community Welcome has to prepare everything that will be needed to support the refugee family.
In obtaining refugee status families have to prove that they were forced to flee their country because of persecution, war or violence.
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Attaining the status means they are entitled to the same help and welfare as anyone else living in the UK.
Nidderdale Community Welcome is working in partnership with the charity Catholic Care Leeds, which will take ultimate responsibility for the agreement that is being drawn up with the Home Office.
Nidderdale aims to welcome a refugee family
Hopes are high that community collaboration in Nidderdale can see welcoming hands extended to a refugee family.
Organisations created in towns, villages and cities across the UK have successfully taken part in a government-backed scheme to re-settle refugees.
Now Nidderdale Community Welcome is following in their footsteps and learning from their experiences.
Catholic Care Leeds has agreed to be the principal backer of the initiative, which involves churches of different denominations in Nidderdale.
However, the Rev Alastair Ferneley, vicar of Dacre with Hartwith and Darley with Thornthwaite, told the Stray Ferret:
“The churches have a role to play, but Nidderdale Community Welcome wants to engage with people of all religions and those of no religion at all.
“Our aim is to bring together all of the necessary skills and talents in this area for the initiative to take off.”
Nidderdale, with its rolling hills, could become home for a refugee family
Rev Alastair is part of a group working alongside Peter Wright, a long-time supporter of causes that help refugees.
Peter, who lives in Ramsgill, is organising a public meeting via Zoom on November 18, which will be open to anybody who wishes to become involved in Nidderdale Community Welcome.
At the meeting, Sue Parsons, community sponsorship coordinator for Catholic Care, will explain how community sponsorship works and there will be opportunities for questions.
Peter said:
“There are currently approximately 80 million displaced people around the world, of which 26 million are refugees. The government initially agreed for up to 10,000 to be resettled in the UK through integration into local communities and this is Nidderdale’s opportunity to support the programme.”
He added:
“We are at the stage of creating the infrastructure required to move forward.”
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Community sponsorship organisations have to prepare everything that might be needed for families to become self-sufficient members of their new community, as required in detailed plans set out by the Home Office.
This includes safeguarding, learning English, applying for relevant benefits, accessing medical help, schools, transport, finding work, and having support from translators.
To obtain refugee status the families have already been closely vetted, entitling them to the same help and welfare as anyone else living in the UK. The community group needs to raise at least £9,000 to ensure additional needs are met.
The group has to have either charitable status or a partnership with an existing charity, such as Catholic Care Leeds, which takes ultimate responsibility for the agreement with the Home Office and provides experience, governance and safeguarding training and support.
Anybody wanting to take part in the November 18 meeting is asked to contact wrightpandh@gmail.com or ring 01423 755619 for further details.