Welcome to our Spring Newsletter! As the flowers bloom and the days grow longer, we're excited to share the latest updates and highlights from Borderlands. From heartwarming stories to exciting events, this newsletter is filled with the spirit of community and hope. Join us as we reflect on the past season's achievements and look forward to the bright opportunities ahead. |
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Whats been happening in Borderlands? |
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Last year, Borderlands supported over 700 asylum seekers and refugees at our Welcome Centre. |
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Our commitment to providing a warm welcome and continuous support remains and we are pleased to be able to continue to offer our drop-in services every Monday and Tuesday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. As the month of Ramadan continues, we have seen quieter times at our welcome centre, but we're thrilled to welcome new members from the Honduran and Colombian communities. Get ready for some delicious Central and South American meals at the drop-in! As you may have read in our previous newsletter, we have been truly grateful for the support and enthusiasm surrounding our Monday cooking sessions. |
| Meals being prepared by one of our Monday cooking groups |
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These sessions have provided us with the opportunity to invite groups of friends and families living in initial accommodations across the city to come together, cook, and share a meal. In these sessions, participants have found profound empowerment and a sense of belonging. One member even described it as "home." The joy and connection shared during these gatherings have been truly heartwarming. However, due to the end of funding for this project, we are sadly unable to continue these special sessions for the time being. But fear not, we are actively seeking new ways to secure funding and bring back these valuable sessions as soon as possible. Exciting news: NHS Talking Therapies is now visiting the Welcome Centre once a month to explain their services and have one-on-one discussions with members about whether therapy could benefit them. |
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Ramadan Eid Al-Fitr Celebration; we are pleased to announce we will be holding our annual Eid Al-Fitr celebration at the Trinity Centre in April. In collaboration with other organisations in the sector, we'll gather our community members and volunteers of all faiths and backgrounds to commemorate this significant occasion, known as the "festival of breaking the fast." |
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Traditional Pakistani Rotis made during our Monday cooking group |
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We are thrilled to share the exciting news that football sessions have officially kicked off at Borderlands! |
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Thanks to a partnership with St. Paul's Community Sports Academy, we now have access to a football pitch every Thursday for the next three months. Our primary objective is to assemble one, if not more, teams to participate in the Community Cup slated for Mid-June. This initiative marks the beginning of an ongoing commitment to football, and we aspire to sustain these sessions well beyond June. |
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A new cohort of mentors have been trained ready to embark on new partnerships as spring rolls around. |
Interest in the mentoring project continues to increase for which we are grateful and pleased to accommodate! As the weather improves, meetings can evolve and diversify from rainy cafe meet ups to walks, bike rides and exploring the city. We’ve also welcomed a new mentoring manager Abbe to the team as Anna moves back to her native Italy. The peer mentoring project is still under development, with an aim to launch later in 2024. We’re so excited about this project, as it will offer valuable experience for our peer mentors, who will be Borderlands members themselves, as well as offering solidarity to their mentees through common experience. |
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"Before we met I didn’t think I would meet someone where I could be so relaxed. My mentor has helped me a lot. We have been around Bristol together, visiting museums, seeing new places. We have been to the gym together and even played badminton together which has been my favourite thing to do! My English has also improved a lot.In the last month I have had a difficult time and my mentor has been really helpful. I felt alone here before but now I feel like I have a sister and friend here. It’s nice when she texts me and asks how I am. The day I was moved to a new place it was really good to have someone to talk to. I am so happy that we have met." |
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Our Learning Projects continue to thrive. |
We currently have 12 English classes, made possible by a team of nearly 50 teaching volunteers! Our recent highlights have included a trip to Bristol Central Library where members explored the bilingual books, registered as library members and enjoyed some delicious toasties in the cafe. The women’s theatre group has enjoyed seeing several plays including The Old Vic’s The Farmer and the Clown, a funny and charming play, showing the power of storytelling through mime. Through its fantastic use of physical movement and music, it was accessible and enabled all the members to enjoy it, whatever their level of English. The Reading Poetry and Conversation group is now moving into its sixth month and there is a solid group of members who come every week. We are delighted to welcome Rosa, our newest Reader Leader to the group. Recently, we have been discussing a range of fascinating poems. |
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Here is an extract from Rainer Maria Rilke's ‘Go to the Limits of Your Longing’: Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final. |
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As you may have already read, we have bid a fond farewell to Anna as she embarks on new adventures overseas. We extend our heartfelt thanks for her dedication to the mentoring project, wishing her all the best in her endeavours. With every goodbye comes a welcoming embrace, and we're thrilled to introduce Abbe to the team! Abbe brings with her four years of invaluable experience in the refugee sector, notably as a project manager at Leeds Refugee Forum. |
As you may have already read, we have bid a fond farewell to Anna as she embarks on new adventures overseas. We extend our heartfelt thanks for her dedication to the mentoring project, wishing her all the best in her endeavours. With every goodbye comes a welcoming embrace, and we're thrilled to introduce Abbe to the team! Abbe brings with her four years of invaluable experience in the refugee sector, notably as a project manager at Leeds Refugee Forum. |
| During her academic journey, Abbe dedicated a year to volunteering at NLA, a grassroots organisation assisting asylum seekers in Northern Greece. This experience deepened her commitment to championing marginalised communities. Now settled in Bristol, Abbe is eager to channel her passion for partnership building and community outreach towards supporting refugees and asylum seekers in our area. Join us in extending a warm welcome to Abbe as she embarks on this new chapter with us. |
During her academic journey, Abbe dedicated a year to volunteering at NLA, a grassroots organisation assisting asylum seekers in Northern Greece. This experience deepened her commitment to championing marginalised communities. Now settled in Bristol, Abbe is eager to channel her passion for partnership building and community outreach towards supporting refugees and asylum seekers in our area. Join us in extending a warm welcome to Abbe as she embarks on this new chapter with us. |
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Do you feel inspired and want to be part of the Borderlands family? Get in contact or check out our website and social media pages for more information... |
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| Our first Refugees Rock climbing session was a great success! In partnership with TCA ‘The Mothership,’ we are pleased to offer bi-monthly climbing time for members alongside Boulder Buddies. These volunteers have come to Borderlands via the climbing community, so they are passionate about supporting our members to learn new skills and enjoy climbing. We saw seven climbers at our first session and are looking forward to welcoming more people at our next climb. Many people came who have never climbed before, but enjoyed the sense of accomplishment at reaching a certain point or arriving at a new height. We are excited to get this program off the ground (no pun intended!). |
Our first Refugees Rock climbing session was a great success! In partnership with TCA ‘The Mothership,’ we are pleased to offer bi-monthly climbing time for members alongside Boulder Buddies. These volunteers have come to Borderlands via the climbing community, so they are passionate about supporting our members to learn new skills and enjoy climbing. We saw seven climbers at our first session and are looking forward to welcoming more people at our next climb. Many people came who have never climbed before, but enjoyed the sense of accomplishment at reaching a certain point or arriving at a new height. We are excited to get this program off the ground (no pun intended!). |
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You can find out more about Refugees Rock here! |
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We're also happy to share that representatives from the NHS have joined us at Borderlands to offer free liver screening and blood-borne virus testing. These sessions have proven to be incredibly popular among our members, with almost immediate results sent directly to their phones. The NHS team is also equipped to make any necessary referrals if the tests indicate a concern. It's truly fulfilling to facilitate these connections between our members and healthcare professionals, empowering individuals to take charge of their wellness and seek care when needed. |
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Dr. Bike rolled into Borderlands, offering FREE bike repairs! They provided expert advice and were able to complete some repairs on the 9 bikes that were seen. Huge thanks to Dr. Bike for your invaluable services! |
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A heartfelt thank you to all the amazing organisations, partners, and services that visit us and contribute to our wonderful community here at Borderlands. Your support is invaluable and greatly appreciated |
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With thanks to our Funders... |
Amidst a landscape of heightened competition for funding applications, characterised by a surge in applicants and the continuation of remarkable organisations, securing financial support has been an arduous task for many. However, we are incredibly grateful to have received the necessary funding to sustain our services. This support underscores the significance of our mission and the invaluable impact of our work in the community. We extend our deepest gratitude to all who have contributed to our cause, enabling us to continue making a positive difference in the lives of those we serve. |
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Abbe and Fran are running the Bristol half marathon for Borderlands! They're hitting the road to raise funds for Feelgood Wednesdays, a program that offers a range of activities including sewing classes, cooking workshops, yoga, fitness, and mindfulness sessions. These sessions aren't just about staying active; they're crucial for supporting the mental health and well-being of our members. |
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A word from Fran and Abbe: We're really excited to be part of this adventure to help run our wonderful Borderlands. We will train hard to accomplish this very important challenge and we hope you can support us. All the money will contribute to run activities at Borderlands to help refugees and asylum seekers. To support Abbe and Fran please visit their Localgiving page and donate by clicking here. Please share among your friends, on social networks, via WhatsApp and email. |
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Our mailing address is:
The Assisi Centre, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, BS5 0RE We thank you for your continued support of our work. We have swapped over to a new mailing platform and if you would like to un-subscribe to this mailing list please click the un-subscribe button on this thread. |
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