Although the circumstances this year have made it difficult for many of Friends Not Foes’ typical activities to take place, the group has fortunately still been able to help out in a variety of ways.
For example, the homework club has been taking place weekly at the college and has been enjoyed by volunteers and a wide range of children from Refugee families, both those who have attended before and a welcome variety of new faces – when in-person communication wasn’t possible, there were even a few Zoom calls for the attendees!
At Christmas, these sessions at the homework club were also used to put together hampers for Asylum Seekers housed in a hotel in Epping; a huge selection of food and clothes was generously donated by members of the College and was organised by the volunteers to be sent to those in need.
More recently, Friends not Foes students have also been helping out at Refugee Action’s Forest Schools at Highwoods Country Park, an opportunity which is very popular and set to continue as the weather improves.
Although fundraising has been harder this year, the group also collaborated on writing and designing a student-friendly recipe book which will be sold in college. Money raised will be sent to Refugee Action. All the Friends not Foes volunteers are looking forward to both continuing existing activities and doing new things over the next year.
Amelia Bell