We would like to say a huge thank you to some very special guests who gas their time on Sunday afternoon to join our party. Catherine Leonard the Ethnic Minority Co-ordinator from YCC, staff from the Children’s Centre and Suzanne Carr from the Altogether Better Project. Thank you all for coming along and we hope to see you all again soon.

We are delighted to announce that RAY has been granted £750.00 to fund a brand new traditional dance project with the families by the Altogether Better Project.

The young people and families we work with were keen to start this after meeting an inspirational group of young Albanian dancers from ‘Shpresa Programme’. The sessions will begin soon and will include participants of all ages and abilities.

Refugee Action York is very excited to announce that we have been awarded a five year grant by Reaching Communities, part of the Big Lottery.

We are delighted to have been awarded this generous funding as it will enable us to continue supporting vulnerable families across the city and to build on and develop our current work funded by the City of York Council.

We would also like to say a big thank you to the City of York Council for all of their ongoing support over the years.

Thank you to everyone who have sponsored the trio so far. We have raised a whopping £435.00.

If you have still not donated you are not too late. For more information please follow the link to Mary, Esme and Lily’s Just Giving page.

Your donation can make a real difference to improving the lives of the families we work with and in helping them to integrate with and contribute to the life of the local community.

Congratulations to RAY volunteers Esme and May Beth for raising over £800 (including Gift Aid) in sponsorship after completing the Adidas Women’s 5K Challenge held in Hyde Park, London on 5 September. Donations can still be accepted on Esme’s Just Giving page, and with Gift Aid your support can go a lot further in sustaining RAY’s valuable work with York’s local refugee and migrant community.

RAY wishes to express its sincere thanks and appreciation to Kostja and his plucky team of paddlers who we hope to see beating their best time next year.

Photo credits Sarah Lawrence (thanks for the wonderful photos Sarah).

Many thanks to all our friends and supporters for making York Refugee Week such a success. With especial thanks to the students of the Centre for Applied Human Rights and York St John University, the City Screen Cinema, Flo Clifford and all at Space 109, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation York Committee and the Shpresa Programme.

Some photos from the week’s events can be found here.

Friday 11th June

Refugee Week Exhibition in the North Transept of York Minster (continues until Sunday 20th June).

Mrs Margaret Sentamu will officially open the exhibition and give a short address at 4.15 and all are welcome.

‘Framing Displaced Youth’, an exhibition exploring life in the UK through the eyes of young refugees will be on display during Refugee Week in St Helen’s Church, Stonegate.

Saturday 12th June

Refugee Action York Stall, Parliament Street, York from 11.00am – 1.00pm.

Plus drama performance.

Sunday 13 June.

Bring-a-dish shared picnic in the Museum Gardens, York, opposite the Hospitium from 1.00 – 2.30pm.

Drama led by York St John students TBA (at the picnic).

Tuesday 15 June.

FREE FILM SHOWING of the award winning movie District 9, 5.30 pm at the York City Screen. Accompanied by ‘Football Focus’, an exhibition of photography about football challenging xenophobia in St Martin le Grand church (next to the cinema) and drinks reception.

Saturday 19th June.

2.00-4.00 pm

Young Refugee Celebration – Albanian, Zimbabwean and Kurdish cultural celebration in support of the campaign to end child immigration detention.

York St John’s Theatre.

Sunday 20th June

Refugee Week goers may also be interested in some films on the situation in Gaza that are being screened by Medical Aid for Palestinians at City Screen. Details can be found here or call the booking line on 0871 902 5726.

York Refugee Week is made possible through the generous support of the Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York, York St John University, Picturehouse Cinemas/City Screen York, the Joseph Rowntree Trust, and the Shpresa Programme.