Lewisham celebrates Refugee Week

Lewisham Council, which recently became the first local authority in the country to be formally recognised for its pioneering work in making Lewisham a Borough of Sanctuary, is encouraging the community to join it in celebrating Refugee week (Monday 14 to Sunday 20 June). The celebrations will culminate in a summer event in Beckenham Place Park on Saturday 19 June, hosted by Council, and run by Create Without Borders.

Food for the event is being supplied by the Refugee Café, a growing team of local chefs who have been granted asylum in Lewisham, with food being provided to refugee and asylum seekers for free. The Council has committed to supporting 100 refugee families in the borough, and an additional 100 unaccompanied children. So far Lewisham has welcomed 33 refugee families into the borough, with three arriving earlier this year.

The Council will also be sharing stories of the refugee families who have resettled in Lewisham and the inspiring work of voluntary and community groups throughout the week. Create Without Borders will also be hosting a number of online and in-person events throughout the week.

Councillor Kevin Bonavia, Cabinet Member for Democracy, Refugees and Accountability, said:

“As a recognised Borough of Sanctuary, we are proud in Lewisham to have such a diverse community that looks out for one another. Refugee Week is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions that refugees are making to our community especially in the face of Covid-19 where many have volunteered to help shielding residents and also at vaccination centres.

“But refugees and those seeking asylum continue to face many challenges under an unfair immigration system. We will continue to campaign against the Government’s hostile environment approach to immigration and fight for more rights and protections for refugees, migrants and asylum seekers.”

View the Lewisham Refugee Week celebration film that took place this year at Beckenham Place Park.