Someone asked recently why, since we have been going for over three years, we have only managed to support one refugee family here. It's a good question. Partly it's because we have been busy setting ourselves up as a charity - a Home Office requirement - and raising the money required before we would be allocated a family to support. But also, refugee transfers were completely stalled for 15 months because of the pandemic.
BUT, this year we will be able to support more families. We now have three new branches: Gateshead Welcomes (created by Amnesty North East Welcomes (ANEW)), Gosforth Welcomes and North Shields Welcomes. Together, we have raised over £32,000 thought supporting each family will take at least 9K. And Gateshead Welcomes and North Shields Welcomes already have a house they're getting ready for a family.
So, we're growing. We're proud of all the volunteers working to make this happen. And we're proud of all our supporters, coming to our events, making occasional or regular donations and helping to make our work known all over Tyneside.
Photo by Jan Huber