This week, we were thrilled to be celebrating Refugee Week, a nationwide celebration of the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking asylum. During the week we’ve been busy hosting and attending events across Lambeth, focusing on this year’s theme: ‘community as a superpower’.
We kicked off the week with our launch of the ‘Welcome to Lambeth’ guide, a powerful new resource created by our learners during our recent ‘Shared Stories’ course. Written by people with personal experience of seeking asylum, the guide offers practical advice, insights, and words of encouragement for others navigating life in Lambeth while awaiting their refugee status.
The launch event, planned and organised by learners from the ‘Shared Stories’ course, was a success with over 70 people attending, the majority of whom are themselves asylum seekers or refugees. We were incredibly proud to see our learners share their work and see it received with so much warmth and enthusiasm.
Throughout the week, we also attended a number of inspiring events hosted by Lambeth Council, emphasising its special role as a Borough of Sanctuary. The week culminated in a powerful gathering, bringing together refugees, asylum seekers, and organisations to build connections, share ideas, and strengthen support networks.
At the event, we were particularly proud to see our learner-created Welcome to Lambeth guide officially adopted by Lambeth Council as their go-to resource for new arrivals. Moving forward, it will be used by Sanctuary Services to support all new migrants in the borough.
The importance of the guide and these celebrations was summed up by Cllr Nanda Manley-Browne, Cabinet member for Healthier Communities. “I know how essential it is to feel seen, safe and informed when navigating unfamiliar systems. That’s why this Guide matters. Let’s keep building a Lambeth where everyone, regardless of where they’re from, can not only survive but thrive.”