What a response we’ve had already to our Paperchain People challenge! We have been asking YOU to spread the message of our Christmas Appeal Winter Welcome by getting creative this festive season.
This year’s Christmas Appeal Winter Welcome is raising vital funds for our Interaction Drop-in project, providing a safe and supportive community to refugees and asylum seekers in Tyne and Wear experiencing loneliness this winter.
Meaningful
School children have been amongst the first to make, display and share their creations, offering a warm winter welcome to refugees and asylum seekers in the community.
For some schools where young refugees and asylum seekers are a part of the school community, the message behind the project was particularly meaningful.
Wingrove Primary is a ‘School of Sanctuary’ where pupils were so inspired by the project, they decided to make a life-size, physical chain by children holding hands beside Newcastle landmark, the Millennium Bridge.
“Sanctuary is a cause close to our heart, so we were humbled to have been asked to take part in this,” explained Laura Radu of Wingrove Primary.
Vibrant message
St John’s Primary was another school that stepped up to the challenge, filling their windows with rows of Paperchain People and messages of welcome for refugees and asylum seekers in the community.
“It is lovely to get involved in a project like this that sends out such a visual and vibrant message that everyone is welcome,” said the school’s Business Manager, Tracey Caffrey.
Alongside creating their Paperchain People, students at Tyne Coast College have been gathering donations of warm winter clothes and designing welcoming labels for asylum seekers and refugees. Katherine Bacovitch said: “Our students really enjoyed creating different characters. I think we have a Shrek and even a Bob the Builder in there too!”
If reading this has motivated you to try our Paperchain People challenge for yourself – you can use our template and video below to give it a go!
We’d love to fill Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with these beautiful stories so don’t forget to share them and tag us @actionfdn with the hastags #WinterWelcome #PaperchainPeople and #RefugeesWelcome.
Give the gift of community to refugees this Christmas
Donate here to our Winter Welcome Appeal
By giving a donation TODAY you can help our InterAction Drop-in for asylum seekers and refugees provide:
- £5 – refreshments for 2 drop-in sessions
- £20 – PPE for a month to keep our staff, volunteers and clients safe at the drop-in
- £75 – the cost for two members of staff to run an outreach session at local hotels
- £100 – up-to-date equipment including tech and perspex screens
- £150 – the room hire for one drop-in session
Your donation will allow us to keep funding this innovative project… Thank you.
