Once again the amazing artist Alce Harfield, well known for creating stunning paintings of Glastonbury Festivals, has turned her talents to helping us raise funds for our vital work supporting refugees in Bath and beyond. 

Believe in Love is a brand new painting and depicts the moment Coldplay, who were headlining the Pyramid stage in June last year, released huge balloons across the crowd. Alce, who also organises the Bath Art Fair which is returning to the Bath Pavilion 22 – 23 February, says, “It was such an awesome set and an incredible moment. The crowd, myself included, were all reaching up trying to touch one of these beautiful bouncing balls. 

“It wasn’t until afterwards, when I looked back at my photos, I saw the Believe in Love message projected on the stage. I knew then this would be a wonderful moment to try and capture in a painting and donate the picture to help raise funds for Bath Welcomes Refugees.

“We must all continue to believe in love and do what we can to help those fleeing their homes, including those displaced from the continuing war in Ukraine.” 

Click here to enter the raffle and be in with a chance of winning this vibrant and uplifting painting bit.ly/4jGpDmB

(Oh, and to avoid paying the extra tip on top of your ticket amount, click on the words that say ‘Enter custom amount’ and then enter 0.) 

You can also visit the Bath Art Fair at Bath Pavilion and see the magnificent painting up close!

Enter by 15 March – the draw will be made on 16 March and the winner will be announced by 22 March.

£5 gets one entry to the draw, £10 for 3 entries, £25 for 10 entries, £50 for 25 entries. 

Alternatively post your entry to 37 Northend Bath BA1 7EG, including your name, address and valid email address.

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We set up on Milsom Street for the Bath Christmas Market on 28 November and had a brilliant day of raising funds, awareness and meeting people who were interested in the work we do 

As well as our legendary pompoms, we were selling

1. Beautiful and tasty hand decorated biscuits from a Ukrainian friend
2. Hand knitted festive decorations
3. Glittering handmade glass stars
4. Ludmilla’s children designs for edible decorations that they can paint themselves! 
5. Card designs by @ritalazaroart and Kurda Yar

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We’ve managed to organise a last minute Christmas Fayre on Sunday 8 December 10am–11.30am, thanks to our friends at The Locksbrook Inn on Locksbrook Road (Bath, BA1 3EN).

There’ll be lots of stalls to browse, admire and shop – including a homemade cake stall, Christmas crafts, a children’s book stall and delicious refreshments.

We’d love for you to join us.

But we also need your help with the tombola please! We are looking for donations for lovely tombola prizes such as new toiletries, bottles of drink, boxes of chocolate, tins of biscuits, new toys etc.

Please contact Amanda on 07805 459760 or email fundraising at bathwelcomesrefugees.org.uk.

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Bath Welcomes Refugees hosted the second Beyond Bath event: Understanding the Venezuelan Refugee and Migrant Crisis.

Bath Welcomes Refugees (BWR) recently hosted its second Beyond Bath event at the Good Living Centre of St John’s Foundation on 31 October.

The focus was on understanding the Venezuelan refugee and migrant crisis, caused not by war, but by political and economic collapse, which has forced over 7 million Venezuelans to seek refuge beyond their borders.

Over 15 people came together for an evening dedicated to raising awareness of the Venezuelan migration crisis and encouraging local action to support refugees and migrants.

Panellists included international development specialist Adriana Pepe, human rights defender and lawyer Alfredo Félix, researcher and lawyer Alejandro Álvarez, and Beyond Bath facilitator Andrea Dos Anjos. Together, they shared their perspectives on one of the world’s largest mass migrations in history, caused not by war, but by political and economic collapse, which has forced over 7 million Venezuelans to seek refuge and new opportunities beyond their borders.

The Venezuelan refugee crisis has transformed the region, with over 5 million Venezuelans now living in 17 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean. Many migrants are travelling on foot with only a few personal belongings, facing uncertainty and often leaving families, communities and loved ones behind. Others are moving to reunite with them.

The panellists shared authentic stories as Venezuelans who have been affected by the crisis. Alfredo Félix discussed the origins of the crisis and its devastating impact on everyday life. Alejandro Álvarez presented his work on the vulnerabilities faced by Venezuelan migrants, including exploitation and modern slavery. Adriana Pepe detailed the main challenges faced both in Venezuela -such as corruption and lack of basic services- and outside the country where migrants navigate complex paperwork, housing, employment difficulties, and the cultural adaptation needed to settle into host countries. Together, the panellists reflected on possible future scenarios for Venezuela, expressing hope for a brighter, more stable future for their home. 

The audience engaged in a lively discussion on steps that local communities can take to support migrants and refugees, exploring ways to create a more welcoming and inclusive society. 

Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce the next Beyond Bath Talk, which will take place on Thursday 16 January and can be booked on Eventbrite http://bit.ly/3AJ2j62 

We look forward to another opportunity to shape the narrative of migration.

Some useful resources about the Venezuelan situation:

• Report of the independent international fact-finding mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela* (Advance unedited version) (A/HRC/57/57) – Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | ReliefWeb
• Venezuela crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help | World Vision
• The road to modern slavery from vulnerability to exploitation

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