In July 2017 our parish set up Our Lady’s Refugee Support Group to plan to bring a Syrian family fleeing conflict and in need of protection from a refugee camp and help them to settle in Croydon as part of the Community Sponsorship Scheme. This was set up by the British Government through the Vulnerable Person’s Resettlement Scheme with the aim of bringing 20,000 refugees to settle in the UK by 2020. The Catholic Church has been very supportive of this scheme, with the Diocese of Salford already welcoming their first Syrian family to the UK.Community Sponsorship enables community groups to become directly involved in supporting the resettlement of refugees in the UK. Our Lady’s Refugee Support Group is working towards bringing a family to resettle in our area and we commit to support them to reintegrate successfully for a period of one year and offer accommodation for two years. Practically we will be helping the family by providing housing, supporting with access to medical and social services, helping with English tuition, supporting towards employment and self-sufficiency, and of course providing the family with a warm welcome.

For more information on the group, please email us at Addiscombe.welcomes.refugees@gmail.com; call us on 07711 791 729

We are grateful for the help we have received from other organisations including Refugee Support Network, Church Response for Refugees, Citizens UK, Sponsor Refugees and the Southwark Justice and Peace Commission.

We are preparing a resettlement plan, which will also need to be approved by Croydon Council and the Home Office.