In early 2023, the village learned of the plan to use the Sharnbrook Hotel to accommodate those seeking asylum in the UK. The Home Office advised that residents would either be families with children, or single females, and there was no plan to include single males.
The community were keen to show hospitality and offer support to these newcomers, who have suffered unbelievable trauma and hardship in their flight from war, oppression, and torture. The team at St. Peter’s Church took the initiative in co-ordinating this generous support, helping to ensure that our approach was equitable to all residents, regardless of background, colour or creed, and that donations and gifts were specifically targeted to actual expressed needs.
Many people immediately volunteered their services as Befrienders, prepared to commit to visiting and supporting residents over the longer term, at roughly 2-4 week intervals. Immediately, seven Visitation Teams were formed, each comprising 2-3 volunteers, who commenced visits to hotel residents during the second week of April. We now have 13 such teams, each dedicated to the regular support of 2-4 specific families in the Hotel.
Initially the focus for the new arrivals was mostly donations of clothing, footwear, toiletries and toys; communication and transport issues are also now being addressed, along with help with access to medical and legal services. More recently, a greater emphasis has been on identifying opportunities for sports and recreational activities within the local community, hopefully relieving some of the stress and boredom within the Hotel environment.
Other initiatives have included the provision of English classes, tailored to a wide range of initial knowledge and ability; an occasional “pop-up free shop” that provides greater opportunities for residents to select items of clothing; and a well-stocked library of books for all ages and nationalities.
Throughout, SSG have been working closely with the Hotel Management, and have also formed working partnerships with a number of local agencies, notably BRASS – Bedfordshire Refugee and Asylum Seeker charity, Care4Calais, and the support teams provided by the NHS and the Local Authority.
Since the start of July, BRASS has generously provided SSG with a formal organisational and safeguarding framework, allowing the SSG to continue their support and befriending activities. Applications from new volunteers are now screened using the BRASS volunteer application procedure. If you would like to be part of this initiative, please contact warden@stpeterssharnbrook.church in the first instance.