Raising awareness of the plight of refugees

Refugees shared their stories as part of events held at Teesside University to highlight the experiences of people seeking asylum.

Refugee Week is a UK-wide programme of arts, cultural and educational activities which aim to celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK and promote better understanding of why people seek sanctuary.

As part of the programme of events, schoolchildren from across Middlesbrough visited Teesside University to work with Tees Valley Arts. The children from Breckon Hill Primary, Abingdon Primary and Ayresome Primary took part in workshops with the theme One World, creating flags and banners to celebrate the different cultures in our classrooms and communities.

Breckon Hill Primary teacher Deba Hussain said: 'The children have really enjoyed being creative and engaging with the campaign to raise awareness of the experiences of refugees.'

The childrens’ banners were displayed during a separate event, The Telling of Stories, which brought together families who have shared their experiences of leaving their own countries behind in search of a safe place to live.

Teesside University academic Claire Smith, senior lecturer in Occupational Therapy, has been working with artists, writers and filmmakers to share findings of her research into the meaning of occupations for people seeking asylum.

Examples of their work were on display at a celebratory event featuring live music and an opportunity for their stories to a reach a wider audience including the community, service providers and professionals.

Also held was a debate on immigration detention, jointly organised by North of England Refugee Service, Regional Refugee Forum North East, Detention Action and Detention Forum.

The celebrations culminated with the launch of Tees Valley of Sanctuary, a national movement to build a culture of hospitality for people seeking sanctuary in the UK. Teesside University honorary graduate Peter Widlinski, of the Justice First charity which works with people seeking asylum, was instrumental in bringing together schools, churches, sports groups, legal professionals and other interested partners.

Abbie English, Teesside University Student Recruitment Officer, said: 'We work closely with organisations such as Regional Refugee Forum, Methodist Asylum Project, Justice First and more, showing our support to the community and also benefiting from the huge range of experiences, skills and talents they bring to our town. Teesside University welcomes diversity and values the relationship it has with all of the community.'

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Find out more about the University's work with refugees and asylum seekers