Margate community projects helping refugees feel at home
A network of projects is helping asylum seekers and refugees find a sense of community in Margate while they wait for their new lives to take shape.Community groups in the Kent town have been running football tournaments, cooking classes and more in a bid to turn strangers into neighbours.Asylum seekers cannot work until they are granted refugee status but they can volunteer."The more you get involved with the people who are coming as migrants, the more you will get to know about them and their stories," refugee Naveed Ahmed told Politics South East.
He added: "You will get to know they are just people like you who are trying to get a safe and sound life."
Mr Ahmed went to The Perfect Place to Grow - a cafe and training kitchen in Margate that helps young people into employment - after arriving in the UK.He said his motivation for joining the organisation was to make good use of his time, get involved with the community and "do something meaningful"."When I came here and met all of these people, they gave me a big welcome and gave me the sense that I belonged to this place, I belonged to the community," he said.Mr Ahmed now works as a chef at a local restaurant.
Derek Harding, who coaches a football team of asylum seekers, said the people that joined the team "get a lot out of it".The team has played weekly for a year and hosted tournaments."They definitely just love football," Mr Harding said. "I've also seen friendships building within that community, tThis cuts across all of that."
Infiyaz Careem, a refugee and personal trainer, is being hosted by the former Mayor of Margate, Rob Yates, who says he has lost 10kg with the help of the fitness coach.Mr Careem has also been putting his expertise to use offering free fitness sessions for Margate residents at the beach."I can't live by myself because without any community I'll fail," he said."I keep doing every single [thing] - voluntary stuff, community stuff - because that makes my life different in Margate."Mr Yates added: "I think Margate is a really good role model for what towns and cities should be doing."
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