Posted: Wed 7th Dec 2016

Syrian Refugee Families Praise ‘Generous’ Wrexham – As Second Phase To Get Green Light

Wrexham.com for people living in or visiting the Wrexham area
This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Dec 7th, 2016

Refugee families from Syria have been welcomed into their new communities in Wrexham saying they have been welcomed by the area’s “generous” spirit and “lovely” neighbours.

In April this year, Wrexham Council’s Executive Board voted resettle up to five Syrian families during the 2016/17 financial year.

The move by Wrexham Council came as part of the Home Office-funded Syrian Relocation Scheme, which provided support to local authorities to find accommodation for refugees fleeing the country, now in its fifth year of civil war.

Currently four families have been identified and allocated to Wrexham totalling 20
people. Two families are in residence as of early November, and two further families are expected to arrive in Wrexham by mid-December. Subject to the securing of a further private sector property a fifth family will be identified.

At its meeting on Tuesday the Executive Board will examine a report reviewing the progress of the scheme to date, and likely agree in principle to accepting a further five refugee families in 2017/18, subject to approval by Council Heads of Department and Public Service Board partner organisations.

Home Office funding for the families’ support needs includes opportunities to learn English.

The scheme also receives significant local support from the voluntary, community and faith sectors. A welcome meal was provided to refugees by members of Wrexham Mosque, and the Central Methodist Church continues to provide informal classes for English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL) and also enables further community support for Syrian families. Members of the Wrexham Asylum Seeker and Refugee Support Group have also provided practical support, household goods and clothing where needed.

The scheme is also backed by a multi-agency approach and the Public Service Board.
Refugees are housed in private sector accommodation, and the scheme is supported by private landlords.

Comments from some of the families resettled in the area are included in the report:

  • “We now feel much safer and the kids have stability for the first time in their lives”
  • “I have never seen the kids so happy, they are always laughing and playing with their new toys”
  • “The children love school, my son even received pupil of the week last week as he is settling in so well, he even wanted to go to school during half term”
  • “We can’t believe how generous everyone in Wrexham has been, we have lovely neighbours who gave us chocolates and flowers”

Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council, said: “I’m incredibly pleased to see that refugee families arriving in Wrexham have already received a warm welcome from their communities – these people will have been fleeing incredible hardship, and the fact they’ve been greeted with such compassion and kindness is excellent.

“I’m also very pleased to note the success of the scheme so far, and welcome the strong multi-agency support for these families from across private, public and third-sector organisations.”

The report notes: “All 22 Welsh Local Authorities have indicated their support and many have now received Syrian refugees. Across North Wales all six local authority agreed to take five families in the current financial year; all but one have now received one or more families.”

It goes on to say ‘Cross department and multi-agency support co-ordinated by the Council has meant that the Scheme has worked well’ and ‘Feedback from Council Heads of
Department is positive about Scheme so far.’

Two elements of concern are stated, with ‘concerns have been raised by Children’s Social Care in relation to the potential impact on stretched services and resources’, likewise longer term funding questions are raised ‘While the cost of the Resettlement Scheme is covered by the Home Office in the short-term, the cost of meeting longer-term needs will fall to the local authority and other statutory agencies once government funding ceases which will put additional pressure on restricted budgets’.

Two ringing endorsements are mentioned, with the Syrian refugee families themselves being ‘very positive about their experiences’ and ‘No community tensions associated with the Scheme have been reported.’

You can read the reports from earlier this year, here and here.



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