Education support
We supported a refugee girl when she arrived with very little English. A BWR volunteer worked as a teaching assistant alongside her in primary school, and continued as a mentor. This volunteer has since completed a Master’s degree about the impact of trauma on education.
We liaised with secondary schools over her placement, including into sixth form. During the pandemic, we provided a laptop so that she could access lessons online. The girl attends the weekly study club, where she is receiving 1-2-1 Maths support from a retired nuclear physicist. She is hoping to become a dentist.”
A befriending volunteer
Success in the workplace
X started working for me in 2023 as an administrator but it was soon established that her knowledge of marketing promoted an alternative role as my marketing assistant. She has helped with the marketing organisation and social media sites. She also streamlined and improved my estimation templates, calculation spreadsheets, X was a rare find, an absolute asset to my business.
Y had worked as kitchen porter back in Ukraine and needed part-time work around young child at nursery. We helped her to find suitable roles and guided her through the application process and helped with the contract negotiation. She successfully got a job with hours that worked for her around childcare.
We signposted a refugee couple who wished to set up a small business to organisations that could provide advice and support. E: “I’ve successfully enrolled in training programs focused on entrepreneurship. In resourcefully directed assistance, all pertinent guidance has been thoroughly explored and immensely beneficial. This comprehensive guidance has significantly bolstered my confidence in making my aspiration a reality soon. Moreover, the opportunity to network with professionals has broadened my perspective.”
Stories from employers and volunteers
“When furnishing a whole house prior to people arriving, our aim has been not just to provide the essentials but to make it a welcoming home — with a meal prepared by another refugee family, flowers on the table and food in the kitchen.”
Donations team volunteer
Thank you letter
I am writing this letter on behalf of myself and my youngest son, I- to express our deepest gratitude and appreciation for the exceptional support you have provided us as refugees from Ukraine. We would like to thank you for helping us move into our new home, equipping it with everything we need and even bringing and installing a trampoline for I-,. We are both extremely grateful for everything you have done for us.
Your kindness, generosity, and selflessness have touched our hearts and made a significant impact on our lives. We could not have imagined settling into our new home without your support, and we cannot begin to express how much it means to us.
The trampoline has brought endless joy to _i, who has been smiling and jumping on it since the moment it arrived, and for this, we cannot thank you enough. It has been a true blessing to see my son happy and content in our new home, and we have you to thank for it.
From a Ukrainian refugee
Help with healthcare
A woman was supported to make her first few visits to a GP, having arrived in the UK with very little English or understanding of the NHS. A BWR volunteer walked with her from her house to the GP practice to learn the bus route, explained and demonstrated what to do on arrival, what to say to the receptionist, where to wait, how to make further appointments, where and ho to get her prescriptions. Alongside this she had support, for example, to learn locus bus routes to access the best value shops and other facilities. She now manages GP appointments for herself and her children confidently, including phone calls when necessary.