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.
A huge congratulations to Mary, Esme and Lily for successfully completing their 5K run in aid of Refugee Action York. Lily managed to finish in an amazing 32 minutes!
Thank you to everyone who have sponsored the trio so far. We have raised a whopping £435.00.
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.
Lord Deramore Primary School parents (aka the Ousey Riders) competed for the first time in the York Rotary Club Dragon Boat Challenge on Saturday 10th July and raised over £1838.90 for Refugee Action York and the St Leonard’s Hospice (more than £1200 of which will go to RAY). The event which takes place every year between Scarborough and Lendal bridges on the River Ouse involved 36 teams and the banks of the river were packed with supporters and spectators enjoying the glorious sunshine and the thrilling racing.
On Sunday 11th July a group of dedicated paddlers will be racing their dragon boat on the River Ouse to raise valuable funds for Refugee Action York and St Leonard’s Hospice – visit our Dragon Boat Challenge page for full details of how to sponsor the team and where to go to shout them on to victory.
Held in Museum Gardens the annual refugee week picnic brings together local refugee and migrant families, and volunteers and supporters of Refugee Action York. This year was the best attended in the event’s 8 year history.
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.
End of Term Party
The volunteers and service users at Refugee Action York celebrated their end of term party in December 2011. The party was a huge success with over 60 visitors that day and included a Turkish dance by the children, the giving of prizes and gifts as well as a shared meal. We were extremely pleased to have such an amazing turnout of old and new faces, and hope this will be a sign of fantastic things to come in the future.