Refugee Week 2022
We’re incredibly excited to celebrate Refugee Week 2022!
The theme this year is ‘Healing’. We’ve organised events, workshops and challenges, encouraging creativity and conversations, to celebrate community, mutual care, and the human ability to start again.
Seven Day Challenge for Refugee Week 2022
Take on our Seven Day Challenge this Refugee Week to learn, support and celebrate refugees in Berkshire and across the world.
Explore our Seven Day Challenge
Refugee Week 2022 Events
To celebrate Refugee Week 2022 we’ve put together a programme of special events across Berkshire. You’re invited to join us at any or all of them to learn more about and support refugees in Berkshire.
Explore our Refugee Week Events Programme
Seven Day Challenge For Refugee Week
After the success of last year, we’re asking you to take on our Seven Day Challenge for Refugee Week to learn more about refugees in Berkshire and the different ways you can help them.
Day One: Mon 20th June
World Refugee Day
Follow us on social media and share one of our posters saying ‘Berkshire Welcomes Refugees’. Make sure to tag us @ReadingRefugees!
Click here to download the posters here
Follow us on social media here: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin
Day Two: Tue 21st June
Buy a Coffee for a Refugee
We’ve partnered with local cafes to run a Coffee Bank for refugees.
Buy an extra coffee at one of these Sanctuary Cafes and it goes into the Coffee Bank so a local refugee can enjoy a hot drink for free.
Day Three: Wed 22nd June
Sign up to our Supporter Newsletter
Every month we send out our Supporter Newsletter, telling you about our work and all the different ways that you can help refugees and asylums seekers in Berkshire.
Day Four: Thu 23rd June
Give a Monthly Donation to help refugees
Each year we help hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers who have escaped war, violence and persecution. Many have been victims of human trafficking, torture and modern slavery.
We provide free legal advice, practical help, mental health support, English classes and social activities.
By giving £5 each month, you can ensure that every refugee in Berkshire gets the help they need to rebuild their lives.
Day Five: Fri 24th June
Sign up to Walk For Refugees on 19th September
On 19th September, we’re taking part in the Reading Legal Walk, a 10km sponsored walk to help fund our free legal advice service. Last year we provided over 800 refugees with thousands of hours of free legal advice that they cannot access elsewhere.
Sign up with your colleagues and bring your friends and family to help fund this vital service.
Day Six: Sat 25th June
Join our campaign to fight the Anti-refugee Laws!
We’re part of a national campaign to repeal the Nationality and Borders Bill which includes deporting refugees to Rwanda and prosecuting refugees for seeking safety here. Join our campaign by signing this pledge and sharing this link on social media so that these unjust and harmful laws can be revoked.
Day Seven: Sun 26th June
Give the next generation of refugees a lifeline with a gift in your will
We’re asking you to consider helping the next generation of refugees in Berkshire by leaving a gift in your Will.
Leaving just 1% of your estate to Refugee Support Group could transform our work and guarantee the next generation of refugees get the help they will need in the future.
Barrett & Co. Solicitors are kindly offering a £100 discount on Will Services for RRSG supporters wanting to make or update their Will.
Click here to read of Legacy Guide to find out more about leaving a legacy gift
Refugee Week Events Programme
We are proud to present a programme of events celebrating refugee strength and creativity, in partnership with lots of brilliant organisations around Berkshire and beyond!
Please click the links below to explore the different events:
Saturday 11th June
Jubilee Picnic – Forbury Gardens, Reading
We’re organising a community picnic to bring together refugees to take part in the national celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The Jubilee Picnic is a free event with people invited to bring and share food, and there will be performances throughout by members of the refugee community.
The Jubilee Picnic is possible thanks to funding from Arts Council England and Berkshire Community Foundation.
Jubilee Picnic
Sat 11th June | 12pm – 3pm | Forbury Gardens, Reading
Click here to find out more
Thursday 16th June
Flee: Screening + Q&A Panel – Whitty Theatre, Wokingham
Join us in Wokingham for a special Refugee Week screening of the Oscar and BAFTA nominated Flee, followed by a Q&A Panel with special guests discussing the film and wider refugee issues.
Book your tickets here: https://wokinghamfilmsociety.com/coming-soon/2022/1/27/tbc1-c2ae6-mfebh-jhjxg-58s5h-r8grs-eb9wz
Presented in partnership with Wokingham Film Society.
Flee: Film Screening + Q&A Panel
Thu 16th June | 7:30pm – 11:00pm | Whitty Theatre, Wokingham, RG40 3EU
Friday 17th June – Sunday 31st July
Art Exhibition & Book Launch – St Nicolas Church, Earley
Bringing together poetry, prose, paintings, and photographs created by 32 people from all over the world. Half of the creatives who have generously provided their work are refugees, and the rest are friends and supporters of refugees. There will be copies of the artworks for sale.
Free Entry
Exhibition: 17th June – 31st July, weekdays 8am – 4pm | Art Space in St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue, Earley RG6 7JN
Book launch: Saturday 9th July, 7pm – 9pm | Art Space, St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue, Earley RG6 7JN
Venue info: Fully accessible with parking and bike shelter available. The venue is a ten-minute walk from Earley station.
For more information: www.stnicolas.org.uk
Monday 20th June
Community Quilt Making – Rising Sun Arts Centre, Reading
Free Event
A community quilt project/taster session run by Ravinder Kaur to provide a relaxed session of communal quilt making with the aim of bringing people together creatively and socially. Each participant will create a patch for a small quilt to represent a day of sharing and learning.
To book a place head to: www.risingsunartscentre.org
or email: larry.watson@risingsunartscentre.org
or call: 07765 599 433
Community Quilt Making
Monday 20th June, 12pm – 3pm | The Rising Sun Arts Centre, 30 Silver Street, RG1 2ST
Thursday 23rd June
Hostile: Screening + Q&A Panel – Reading Biscuit Factory, Reading
Join us at the Reading Biscuit Factory for a special Refugee Week screening of the incredible Hostile, followed by a Q&A Panel with special guests discussing the film and wider refugee issues.
Book your tickets here: https://readingbiscuitfactory.co.uk/whats-on/hostile-panel-discussion
Hostile is an award-winning feature-length documentary written, directed, and produced by BAFTA-longlisted filmmaker Sonita Gale. The film focuses on the UK’s complicated relationship with its migrant communities. Told through the stories of four participants from Black and Asian backgrounds, the film reveals the impact of the evolving ‘hostile environment’ – a term used by the UK government in 2012 to illustrate the atmosphere they wanted to create for migrants, with the intention of provoking them to leave of their own accord.
The film explores how the lives of international students, members of the Windrush generation and ‘Highly Skilled Migrants’ have been affected. After decades of hostile immigration policies, Britain has reached a crisis point. With Brexit, the Points Based Immigration System and the Nationality Bill and Borders taking effect, the film asks: once the ‘hostile environment’ has targeted all migrants, who will it extend to next?
Sonita Gale is a British Asian writer, director and producer. Elevating the stories of migrants and marginalised communities is at the forefront of her work.
Sonita’s debut feature documentary as director, HOSTILE is an award-winning and BAFTA and BIFA-longlisted film exposing the ‘hostile environment’ for migrants living in the UK. Hostile has screened across the country at Picturehouse and independent cinemas and has been selected for a number of international film festivals, including the UK Asian Film Festival, Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, Budapest Movie awards and Manchester Film Festival, ZagrebDox and many more. In 2021, the film debuted at Raindance Film Festival and was an official selection of Cambridge Film Festival, London Migration Film Festival, and the South London Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Documentary Feature.
Find out more about the film on Instagram and twitter by searching:
@hostiledoc
@galeforcefilms
Presented in partnership with Reading Biscuit Factory, Reading City of Sanctuary and Reading Film Theatre.
Hostile: Film Screening + Q&A Panel
Thu 23rd June | 7:30pm – 11:00pm | Reading Biscuit Factory, Reading, RG1 7QE
Thursday 23rd June – Friday 24th June
Living Home: Neighbouring Difference Exhibition – OpenHand OpenSpace, Reading
Free Event
An exhibition of Second Year University of Reading Architecture students in collaboration with Design Partners from the Refugee Support Group.
Venue info: Wheelchair accessible (outdoor space).
Living Home: Neighbouring Difference – Art Exhibition
23rd – 24th June, 12pm – 4pm | OpenHand OpenSpace, 571 Oxford Rd, Reading RG30 1HL
Saturday 25th June
Reading Community Cup Football Tournament – University of Reading, Whiteknights Campus
After the success of last year, we’re pleased for the return of the Reading Community Cup!
Bringing together Berkshire’s only refugee football team, Sanctuary Strikers Football Club, along with several guest teams, the competition aims to promote unity and integration through the international language of football.
Venue: Synthetic Turf Pitch, University of Reading, Shinfield Road, Reading, RG6 6DJ
Time: 10am – 2pm
Teams: Sanctuary Strikers FC, Giveback FC, Burghfield FC, Thames Valley Police FC
The Reading Community Cup is created in partnership with Reading FC Community Trust, University of Reading and Reading City of Sanctuary.
Wednesday 29th June:
EVENT POSTPONDED due to unforeseen circumstances.
Hostile: Screening + Q&A Panel – Corn Exchange, Newbury
Sadly, we have to postpone next week’s showing of Hostile at Newbury Corn Exchange due to unforeseen circumstances.
We are working to secure a new date and will announce it as soon as we’ve confirmed it.
Our screening in Reading tomorrow is still going ahead as planned.
Thursday 30th June
The Alice Driver Awards 2022 – Reading Council Offices, Reading
The Alice Driver Awards for Inspirational Women are back!
Celebrating women who’ve made a positive contribution the lives of people seeking sanctuary seekers in and around Reading.
The awards are in memory of Alice Driver, a determined young woman who worked tirelessly to help refugees while fighting a long, tough battle with cancer.
Entry is free, refreshments will be provided.
Find out more here: https://refugeesupportgroup.org.uk/alice-driver-award-2022/
Presented in partnership with Reading City Of Sanctuary.
The Alice Driver Awards 2022
Thu 30th June | 6:00pm – 8:00pm | Reading Council, Bridge St, Reading RG1 2LU
You Can Help Refugees In Berkshire
Refugee Support Group has been helping refugees and asylum seekers in Berkshire since 1994. Every year we support hundreds of families and individuals who have fled war, violence and persecution.
All of our work is made possible by donations from people like you.
Please consider making a donation today so that we can continue to help refugees rebuild their lives in Berkshire.
