New cafe and gallery to open to support refugees
The Without Borders cafe is being launched by CHARIS, a charity founded in 2016 that provides resettlement and integration support to displaced individuals.
The venue aims to bring together people from different backgrounds, offering food from refugee and asylum seeker communities while also providing opportunities to gain work experience.
CHARIS hopes the space will serve as a bridge between refugees and the local community, fostering inclusivity and connection.
More news stories for Somerset
Listen to the latest news for Somerset
Dave Mann, Communications and External Affairs Director at CHARIS Refugees, said they were inspired to open the venue after seeing a rise in demand from people they work with as well as the local community.
"We realised how difficult it is, particularly for asylum seekers, who have come over here seeking sanctuary from war and left everything behind," Mr Mann said.
"They may be very highly qualified in their own work, but can't transfer those easily to jobs here.
"We wanted to create a social enterprise that would give people opportunities to get on to the first rung of the employment ladder and help them get something very positive," he added.
CHARIS also provides support to refugees and asylum seekers through its welcome centre in Taunton which includes English classes, drop-in services, interpretation, benefits support, mental health advice and social activities.
In past year the charity has worked with more than 1,300 displaced people - including 350 asylum seekers.
The cafe is expected to open in June.
Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
Taunton woman is longest-serving KFC worker
Ukraine rehoming process inhumane - refugee host
New Swindon to Taunton rail firm seeks investment
CHARIS Refugees
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
6 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
North Chicago School District 187 community to see new Forrestal School, renovated HS kitchen at start of school year
Putting the finishing touches on the new Forrestal Elementary School and a thoroughly renovated kitchen at North Chicago Community High School, benefiting students at all grade levels, are highlights of the 2025-2026 school year for North Chicago School District 187. 'They prepare meals for all our students,' Superintendent John Price said, referring to a district educating youngsters from preschool through high school. 'They prepare 6,000 meals a day. There will be a wider variety of meals and higher quality food for all our kids.' Students from kindergarten through high school start classes Monday at District 187's three elementary schools, middle school and high school in North Chicago, continuing their education after summer break. Preschool begins Tuesday. Academically, Price said the introduction of a new English language arts curriculum for older students and a deeper dive into certain subjects for younger children will also be part of the new school year. Members of the Forrestal community know this is the final year they will be dealing with leaky roofs and bottled water as they look to the south, where their new $72 million building is nearing completion. Price said it opens in August of next year. 'It should be finished in February. We'll have a ribbon-cutting in April. We'll open it in August of 2026,' Price said. 'We don't want to move in the middle of the school year,' he added, citing the challenges for students, teachers, and staff. With the U.S. Navy contributing $57 million through the federal Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, the district pays the remaining $15 million. Now educating kindergartners through third graders, next year it will have limited fourth and fifth-grade rooms. Located on property of Naval Station Great Lakes, Price said Forrestal has a large percentage of children from military families. Approximately half the current third graders will have the opportunity to remain at Forrestal for fourth and fifth grade. 'We are doing this for our military families so they don't have to transition schools and then do it again when their family changes duty stations,' Price said. 'It will make it easier for our military families to integrate.' Forrestal Principal Cara Kranz said she is looking forward to both this year and the following term when the new building opens. With only one new staff member, she has a veteran team to teach the children. Everyone looks south and sees what will be their new home. 'It will boost our morale to be in a state-of-the-art building,' Cranz said. 'It will be a great opportunity for the students to experience everything new. The students are performing well now. The new building will make it even better.' Eighth graders at Neal Math and Science Academy as well as all high school students, will have a new curriculum in their English Language Arts class. Price said they will be reading and writing about a wider variety of topics. 'There'll be more nonfiction,' Price said. 'Instead of reading one novel, they'll read short stories and other (nonfiction) pieces. It will be a progressive program, building in scale each year. We're giving them a greater variety to prepare them for the variety they'll find in the workplace.' While the elementary school curriculum is unchanged, Price said the students get a more in-depth look at fewer topics. Kranz said it will increase collaboration between students rather than spending most of the time listening to their teacher. 'The teacher will give them their lesson for 15 minutes,' Kranz said. 'After each lesson, they'll collaborate with each other. They'll be talking about what they learned. This will help our diverse learners and those learning English.'
Business Upturn
16 hours ago
- Business Upturn
DIFD AUTO Reshapes the Global Car Buying Landscape – Cryptocurrency Payments + Limited-Time Offer
London, United Kingdom, Aug. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In today's rapidly evolving digital asset era, DIFD AUTO is leading the global cryptocurrency car buying revolution. As the world's leading cryptocurrency-based car trading platform, DIFD AUTO enables customers worldwide to purchase 100% brand-new, authentic cars using major cryptocurrencies like BTC, ETH, and USDT, offering a game-changing experience in pricing, process, and after-sales service. Limited-Time Exclusive Offer: Up to 30% off car purchases (select models only) New customers can receive up to $5,000 in vehicle credit (deductible directly from the purchase price) Bulk purchase discounts – up to 30% off for 3 or more vehicles Partner commission rebates of 10% to 30% 5 years of free support and maintenance Zero transaction fees and brokerage fees Why choose DIFD AUTO? Free and convenient cryptocurrency payments Instant global transfers without cumbersome banking procedures Secure and transparent blockchain transactions One-stop global logistics services International shipping and full container load (FCL) options Comprehensive customs clearance, insurance, and compliance services Worldwide door-to-door delivery With an export network spanning five continents Strong partnerships with international dealers and luxury car brands Multilingual customer support A dedicated team fluent in English, German, French, Arabic, and other languages Industry Trend: Buying cars with cryptocurrency is becoming the new normal US Lamborghini dealers have accepted Bitcoin since 2013 (CNBC report) Ferrari expands support for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the US dollar ( AutoCoinCars data: The global cryptocurrency car purchase market is expected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2024. Blockchain Reform: 42 Million Car Ownership Records on-chain to Combat Fraud. DIFD AUTO's Unique Advantages * 100% new certified vehicles with traceable quality * Worldwide shipping, including customs clearance and insurance * Transparent pricing, save up to 30% * Fast, secure, and affordable cryptocurrency settlement Limited-time offer—first come, first served! Whether you're in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, or Latin America—Choose your vehicle → Pay with cryptocurrency → Deliver to your door—and let DIFD AUTO do the rest. Sign up now to receive up to $5,000 in vehicle credit and enjoy exclusive global pricing and best-selling models! Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Chicago Tribune
Gary schools win $800,000 improvement grant
The Gary Community School Corp. is one of four districts in the state to receive a federally funded Next Generation School Improvement Grant from the Indiana Department of Education. Renita Craig, director of curriculum and assessment, told the school board Thursday that Gary would receive $800,000 in Phase 1 and be eligible for more funding, from $3 to $8 million, if the district qualifies for Phase 2. She said Gary was one of 60 applicants. Craig said the grant's goal is to increase academic achievement and transform the district. Specifically, the grant focuses on improvement at Beveridge Elementary, Daniel Hale Williams Elementary, Frankie Woods McCullough Academy, and Glen Park Academy for Excellence, according to a release. The schools are low performers on the state's IREAD exam and the ILEARN math and English proficiency exam. 'The application was quite rigorous,' Craig told the board. A detailed vision, and a designed strategy with a state-approved partner was required. Officials participated in interviews to discuss their transformation approach, she said. Craig said the district's strategy places a focus on personalized learning for students and staff. Emphasis will be placed on leadership development, including visits to high-performing schools. More training is planned on the science of reading, a phonics-based literacy curriculum, and family engagement.
