Guest blog by Elly Kilroy, volunteer with SWVG

Southampton and Winchester Visitors Group (SWVG), a volunteer-led charity supporting people seeking asylum and refugees, decided to make a short film on the Refugee Week 2024 theme of ‘Our Home’. We are used to the fantastic contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees, but as part of our celebration of this in our community SWVG volunteers are going into local schools this month to invite the children to imagine what might drive you to flee your home and what it is like to build a new life in a foreign country. The volunteers plan to go into schools in pairs, including one person with lived experience of seeking sanctuary. Rather than put pressure on the volunteer with lived experience who may not be ready to relive distressing memories, especially in public, we decided to make a film that we could show to the children to stimulate learning, discussion and ideas. The film is, therefore, suitable for school-aged children, but its themes of the memories refugees carry with them, the traditions they continue to uphold – through the festivals they celebrate and the food they prepare – as well as the importance and relief of finding a safe refuge for themselves and their children, are relatable to people of all ages.

Our film: https://swvg-refugees.org.uk/refugee-voices-finding-sanctuary-and-a-new-home/

Refugee Week Southampton: https://swvg-refugees.org.uk/refugee-week-southampton-a-community-celebration-17-23-june-2024/