Across the United Kingdom, ordinary residents are banding together to offer a lifeline to refugee families, providing the practical and emotional support needed to build new lives from the ground up. This model, known as community sponsorship, is transforming the resettlement experience, fostering deep integration and lasting friendships.
From Afghanistan to Ashbourne: A Family Finds Its Feet
Samir, an Afghan refugee who arrived with his family after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, initially found the quiet of rural Derbyshire a stark contrast to his previous life. "We felt very isolated and didn’t know anyone," he recalls. Today, the picture is utterly different. His children have adopted the local Derbyshire accent so thoroughly they now playfully correct his pronunciation.
This remarkable integration is credited to the wraparound support of a local community sponsorship group in Ashbourne. These volunteers fundraise, secure affordable housing, and assist with foundational tasks like registering with a GP, learning English, and navigating benefits systems. "Now our community is turning into a diverse community," Samir says, highlighting the mutual benefit of the scheme.
The Power of Local Welcome: Bristol to Bideford
The success is echoed nationwide. In Bristol, 17-year-old Syrian refugee Maryam and her family were met by the 'Westbury Welcome' group after a traumatic journey from their homeland. The shock of moving from a bustling Jordanian neighbourhood to a quiet Bristol street was profound. "It was really scary for me," Maryam admits. The group's immediate kindness, including preparing a familiar Middle Eastern meal upon their arrival, began to ease the transition.
Meanwhile, in Bideford, Devon, Ori, a Syrian mother, finds joy in simple pleasures made possible by her sponsorship group, like tending a garden—a novelty after life in an apartment block. "I can grow roses, camellias, jasmine and mint," she says. Volunteer Jane Kivlin, inspired by Ken Loach's film 'The Old Oak', marvels at the family's resilience in the face of challenge.
Government Backing and a Compassionate Model
The community sponsorship scheme is one of the UK's official refugee resettlement programmes. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood endorsed the model last November, stating an intent to make community sponsorship "the norm" as part of a controlled, compassionate approach to new refugee routes.
Susannah Baker, Chair of the Community Sponsorship Alliance, welcomes this, noting that named sponsorship allows communities to match with families they are ready to support. "When local people are involved early, newcomers learn English more quickly, find work sooner, and become part of community life," she explains.
For volunteers like Sue Wall in Ashbourne, who adopts a grandmotherly role, the reward is in seeing families thrive. "If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a town to raise a family," she reflects. This sentiment is shared by Abby Boutlee, supporting an Afghan family in a Scottish village, who sees her group as a "springboard" into a new life.
For Samir, the results speak for themselves: a passed driving test, a postgraduate course offer from Derby University, and a circle of friends. "Although we come from a completely different country and culture, we have so much in common," he says. "Community sponsorship is a brilliant way to support people in crisis, and to build trust between people from different backgrounds."
