This news is a bit late making it onto the website, but we’ve been remembering a happy summer day out now that the weather has turned chilly.
On the last Bank Holiday weekend in August, HWSF organised and sponsored a trip to Paradise Park in Broxbourne for a group of Syrian and Kurdish children along with their families. It was the first time that many of the children had been on a train, and they enjoyed the trip as well as the minibus ride to the park. Following a picnic lunch, the children played on the swings and raced about in their swimsuits in the lagoon. Adults and children were entranced by the entertainer and his balloon animals, as well as by the wide variety of exotic animals in the wildlife park. A family of HWSF supporters took the children for a ride on the woodland railway, and as the train moved off, the children’s excitement was visible on their faces. One HWSF volunteer described how delightful it was to watch these families finally getting a chance to relax and enjoy themselves after they’d spent years in a war zone. She explained that while volunteers may come home exhausted, they would surely find it as rewarding as she did. We need a bike for a newly arrived boy who has a 40 minute walk to school. If you have a bike in reasonable condition that would fit an 11-year-old boy, could you please e-mail woodcraftvicky@gmail.com ?
HWSF has hosted three 'Welcome Meals' for seven newly arrived Syrian families over the past few months. The most recent meal was attended by the Refugee Council, volunteers, interpreters, and Syrians living in Hertfordshire, who joined together to welcome the newest arrivals, offering home-cooked food and friendship. It was quite emotional as relatives were reunited and new bonds were formed. One Syrian woman, now settled in Hertfordshire, described how concerned she had been about arriving in a new place full of new people. However, receiving such a warm reception at her own Welcome Meal set her mind at ease. She said she would never forget the smiles she saw on that day. Here are some pictures from a few of our Welcome Meals, featuring Syrian dishes: Stuffed olive leaves and kubbah. Kabsa with chicken and Syrian salad
We wanted to send out a heartfelt thank you to everyone who so generously contributed to our recent appeal for donations! We had hoped to send out individual thank yous to all who donated, but as we didn't have access to everyone's contact information, we wanted to let you know just how much it helps, and how greatly it is appreciated, right here. Thank you!
We will be chronicling some of the ways the donations are used, so stay tuned. We also wanted to say how thankful we are to all of the new and future volunteers who've reached out to us over the previous month. We've had a recent spate of inquiries from people interested in volunteering, and look forward to working with all of you! |
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