More than 70 refugees and asylum seekers were treated to a warm village welcome in Llangynidr on Sunday, April 7 in an event that saw more than 100 local volunteers put on activities, crafts, music, food and fun.
It was the second ‘Refugees Are Welcome’ day in the village – the first was in March last year – and it is hoped it will become an annual event. The event was organised by Hay, Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees (HBTSR) and a team of Llangynidr volunteers co-ordinated by Helen O’Sullivan, Tessa Craig, Katherine Mason and Mike Gatehouse.
Mike Gatehouse said: “In three years HBTSR has organised more than 35 ‘respite’ days in communities throughout rural Powys for refugees and asylum seekers. Each respite day brings new supporters and Llangynidr was no exception. This was one of the biggest events we’ve held in terms of number of activities and local volunteers. It was amazing more than 100 local people turned out to help in all sorts of ways to make the day a huge success. It felt as though the whole village was there.”
The refugees included 60 men, women and children who live in Swansea and 20 Syrian refugees from Brecon and Blaenavon. They were also joined by a former asylum seeker from Sudan, previously based in Swansea, who is now settled in Newbury, Berkshire who works as a professional jockey.
Llangynidr Primary School choir welcomed the group – which brought tears to the eyes of some: “The school children are very lovely and sang songs [which were] very lovely and nice - such innocent voices they have. We gave them our love and we very much appreciated their effort to spend some time with us,” said one refugee visitor.
The programme of activities for the day included outdoor fun with football matches organised by Llangynidr Junior Football Club for both adults and children. There was also tennis and two guided walks. Inside the hall food was provided by local people, three local businesses and the village’s two chapels and parish church.
Some of the more unusual activities included pizza-making, run by baker Alex Benfield from Hay, decorated slate-making and a very popular women’s’ ‘pamper room’ with reflexology, massage and manicures.
Maria, a volunteer who works in one of the drop-in centres in Swansea, said, “The benefits of a day like yesterday are difficult to put into words. [At the drop-in centre] we witness the hardship, the injustice, the poverty and the emotional suffering of every day. Today we witnessed the relaxation, the joy, the smiles and pure enjoyment of these men, women and children... they were astonished at the welcome, the kindness and the generosity of the hosts.”
After the event one of the refugees said, “I cannot thank our great hosts enough for their hospitality. I found them very warm, kind and friendly.”
There were enough donations to provide bags of toiletries and food for every attendee at the end of the event and enough to stock up drop-in centres in Swansea and the event also raised £275 for HBTSR which will be put back into organising future events.