Refugee Week Pizza Party 2024!
On June 23rd, more than 175 people, including volunteers, gathered to celebrate Refugee Week and honour those seeking sanctuary in Tower Hamlets. The event brought together women and men seeking asylum who are housed in temporary hostels across the borough, with local Bethnal Green residents. In many cases, people who lived on the same street or next door to each other were able to meet and mingle for the first time, truly embodying the spirit of community.
“Thank you, everyone, for a very good day. It’s a relief to get out of the hostel and forget everything that’s happened in my country, with so many nations bombing us”
Adults and kids loved rolling out the pizza sourdough and choosing their toppings. A halal BBQ was also on the go under a shady cherry tree, managed by a team of asylum seeker men, with abundant meat and vegetable kebab offerings.
This extraordinary event was held in Bethnal Green at the Canal Club Community Garden and Centre near Victoria Park. It provided GCP with the chance to collaborate with Tower Hamlets Council, Lifeseekers Aid (a local refugee-led organisation), our partners at the Canal Club, and the Wellington Estate Tenants and Residents Association.
All ages and backgrounds were represented, from the 6-month-old Sudanese baby nursed by his newly-arrived Mum to older local white residents and local Bangladeshi families. This diversity truly reflected the inclusive spirit of our community.
We also enjoyed a very generous donation of cakes, bread, biscuits, and other goodies from our local Co-op store on Cambridge Heath Rd. One local resident produced boxes of home-baked cupcakes and delicious cookies to add to the feast.
Some adults and children participated in creative art activities inside the cool hall, while musician Everton Bahadur Singh Young and friends—who recently played the Vortex Jazz Club—contributed a laid-back fusion music vibe.
Extraordinary Teamwork
Thanks to volunteers Ali, an African asylum seeker, and Livia, the event had an abundant supply of tea, coffee, and squash. Sally Hone and Katie from the Canal Club cooked hundreds of delicious pizzas using the small cob oven. Kenan and Daniel stoked the fire and supported the volunteer BBQ team. Richard, along with other helpers, managed event registrations. Nicky, Elka, and a friend brought important supplies and set up an art table with the theme "Our Home" for Refugee Week 2024. Mary rolled her sleeves up to chop vegetables.
Dominique and Katy helped troubleshoot, and Vimalamani did her best to ensure that all visitors and volunteers had enough to eat and that all aspects of the event ran reasonably smoothly. It was a day of extraordinary teamwork.
The power of community
The event marked a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to support asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants in our community. It provided a platform for fostering connections, sharing experiences, and raising awareness about the challenges they face. By breaking the barriers of isolation, loneliness, and stigma, the event contributed to creating a more empathetic and supportive environment for everyone involved. The heartfelt conversations and the bonds formed during the event signify a step towards building a more inclusive and understanding community, and we would love to do more of this.
Through the connections made at the event, volunteer opportunities were created, and some of the refugees who attended the Pizza Party have now joined to volunteer at the Canal Club Community Garden's weekly volunteering sessions.
“An amazing day - great to meet so many new people”
As people made their way home, the repeated refrain was, "When's the next event?!" - We definitely think this is one for the annual events calendar, so watch this space!
Can you help further our reach?
If you’d like to support more events like this, please consider setting up a regular gift to Globe Community Project and help us be there not just for Refugee Week but every week.