Voluntary group in Derby goes above and beyond to help refugees
They have been doing everything they can to support refugees in the area
A group of volunteers supporting refugees has been working to spread the message in Derbyshire that 'there is no them; only us.'
They raised £500 over the weekend in one of their fundraising events. The group, Derbyshire Refugee Solidarity is a grassroots movement aiming to provide aid and support to refugees in the area.
The county has been integral in the recent resettlement of Afghanistan refugees, with members of the community keen to donate to the cause as well as provide them with accommodation.
Overcoming the digital divide
One of the main objectives the voluntary group has is to help the recent refugees stay as connected as possible in society.
Julie has volunteered at the group for 6 years, and noted how they want to provide them with such support. She said:
"The thing that comes up the most is the need for mobile phones. Because that's a lifeline to an asylum seeker or refugee. It stands to reason that there's very little they can do without that."
The efforts of the people in Derbyshire have been county to make refugees feel welcome in the area have also been highly encouraging according to Julie. She said:
"I can count on one hand the amount of negative responses I've come across to refugees. It has been overwhelmingly positive, welcoming, loving. We've noticed this incredibly with the recent arrival of Afghan refugees."
Positive outlook from the county's residents
Julie also noted that there has been a progressive change in public attitudes towards refugees. She said:
"As soon as you work with asylum seekers and refugees, as soon as you get to know them it's so so clear that there is no them. Only us. And we're just one great, big, happy family. Probably slightly more than half of our volunteers are asylum seekers and refugees from Eritria, Sudan, Iraan... all sorts of countries."
The dedicated volunteer added that they also work to avoid a sense of hierarchy in the group; making the sole purpose to help and be there for people. She stated:
"We all work together. Nobody's higher than anybody else. There's no sense that we are working for clients. We're all in it together."
"It gives you faith. It gives you hope. It makes you feel like there are some really good people out there."
They came together in 2015 and have been involved in several convoys to Calais and Dunkirk and have recently played a key role in helping to welcome the recent refugees from Afghanistan. The group work with other teams in the UK to send clothing, and essential items to refugee camps.