In this month’s community gathering, 36 of our Integr8 family (from refugees, asylum seekers and other UK residents) came together to enjoy a series of indoor and outdoor activities that we organised in collaboration with Dartingto Hall Trust and Foxhole Community Garden.
We started the day by exploring our dreams and hopes for ourselves, communities and the world in a creative activity facilitated by the wonderful Varuni Wimalasiri. People crafted their own pots where they later filled it with soil and planted their dreams.
Some people’s dreams were to see a world where love connects people around it, where they start empowering each other rather than discouraging them. While for the 6 and 7 years old sisters, their dream was to run a shop where they both work together as hair stylists and help women feel proud of their hair.
“I loved Ru’s workshop, really gentle and thoughtful and creative ………
and seeing my husband participating too …… and now, this morning, to find his adorned watered pot sitting on the window sill. What a beautiful project! …. encouraged to feel at ease …. and seeds planted!” Tigga
After this activity we dived into the scrumptious dishes that everyone brought to share. They were dishes from Iraqi, Jordan, Syria, Bangladesh, Britain and Lebanon.
At the end we got out to walk around Dartington Estate and ended sitting around a fire that Harry and Sam lit for us where we surprised 5 members of our Integr8 family with a birthday cake and sang Happy Birthday in English, Arabic and Welsh. Thanks to Zoe founder of the Foxhole Community Garden for making us feel welcome.
“It was amazing that this group of people had all come together to share a really lovely and nurturing day and it was all made possible through this project. It is quite wonderful to be a lynchpin of such a great programme and all the little human interactions and positive things that come from it.”
We continue to celebrate community, difference and love, and we hope that our mission ripples its values in a world that is becoming unbearably cold and dry. Thanks to every one who believed in our work and continues to support it.
To know more about our work please visit www.integr8uk.org
Integr8 