Bradford Refugee Week for 2010 was held from 16^th to 22^nd June.  Despite, the late start of preparation by the Refugee Week Planning Group, the celebrations registered a number of successful and memorable achievements.  Many Asylum Seekers and refugees were represented including national and Bradford based organisations, different pasts shared future.

The celebrations began with the refugees joining the Bradford community at the 2010 Mela where different performances were held, such as Music Dance, Drumming, Poetry, Drama,, etc from members of the local refugees and asylum seekers communities, art exhibition, children’s play area.(see the photos)

The Refugee Week was launched at Carlisle Business Centre and about 200 attended the event on 16^th June which was opened by the Lord Mayor. Selina Ullah, Bradford Council’s Assistant Director Safer and Stronger Communities, gave a powerful keynote speech, followed by stunning music from Zimbabwean group ‘Theatre Under Fire’ – some brave souls even got up to dance.

Terry Rooney MP officially opened the Finale Refugee Week celebration on 22^nd June and 3 hours of  wonderfully diverse music and dance followed, showcasing the talents of Kurdish, East European, Congolese and Zimbabwean musicians.

A working group had been meeting since December, 2009, chaired by Will Sutcliffe from the City of Sanctuary and with representatives from local refugee community organisations.

The same planning group has, since August, 2010, started meeting to plan for the 2011 Refugee Week and Mela celebrations.  The group is now chaired by Beatrice Botomani, Secretary of the Bradford Refugee Forum.  The planning group wishes to involve more people from local refugee communities, and local organisations in planning meetings which are taking place on every third Wednesday of each month at BAFR offices, 40a Piccadilly, BD1 3NN from 12.30pm.  If you would like to join the planning group, please call Beatrice on 07900855722.

2011 Refugee Week will take place from 20^th to 25^th of June.  We are expecting that its successes will surpass every event that Bradford has held  in the past.  Many activities are being planned which include:  Music, Dances, Drumming, Poetry, Drama, Children performances, Ladies football and football tournaments .

 We are also working hard to identify sources of local funding. Any offers or suggestions call Beatrice or Christy (Tel01274 762 1000) !

Contact Person: Ms. Beatrice Botomani
Organisation Name :  Bradford Refugee Forum
Telephone Number : 07900855722
Fax Number: 01274 730 761
Email Address: info@bradfordrefugeeforum.org.uk / Beatrice@bradfordrefugeeforum.org.uk

Web site address: http://www.bradfordrefugeeforum.org.uk/

 “Bradford to host first Women Refugees and Asylum Seekers Conference.”

To be held on the 11^th November, 2010 at the Carlisle Business centre, Bradford from 9am -1400 hours (Travel Expenses up to £3.50 provided including Lunch)

Bradford Refugee Forum has, for the first time ever, organised a conference for all women refugees and asylum seekers living in Bradford which will take place on 11^th November, 2010 at Carlisle Business Centre,  60 Carlisle Road, Bradford, BD8 8BD.  The aim of the conference is to bring women refugees and asylum seekers together under the umbrella of Bradford Refugee Forum in order to enhance the Forum’s inclusive agenda and to enable the women themselves to take ownership of their problems and solutions.  Specifically, the conference will provide an outlet for women asylum seekers and refugees to discuss and define their needs and expectations; and explore innovative ways and programmes for meeting those needs taking into account the need to strive for community cohesion and gender balance and engage partners in the private, statutory and voluntary community sectors including funders and service providers for purposes of working together to improve the quality of life for women asylum seekers and refugees and to create a sustainable organisation.

The Theme of the conference is “Empowering Women Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Bradford”.

During the day there shall be several organisations present and community members from Bradford and across Yorkshire and Humber and some from London to support the women refugees and asylum seekers such as Immigration Advice Service, OXFAM, Northern Refugee Centre,  Horton Housing, Our Project, HALE Project, Legal Aid, City of Sanctuary Bradford, Bradford Immigration and Asylum Seekers Network (BIASAN), Bradford Action for Refugees, ABL, etc), offering advice, and assistance.

 Included in the day’s events are two keynote speakers namely ,the CEO of Northern Refugee Centre Mr. Jim Steinke and (Aynalim/Elizabeth Benson, woman refugee) .  Other activities shall include various workshops providing an outlet for expression and recognition. These include five workshops in the following areas:

• Destitution and Poverty
• Housing
• Health and Well Being
• Immigration (process and legal aid)
• Children and Women (including maternity)

It is hoped that in the long run, the conference’s work will help lay a firm foundation for creating a voice for women asylum seekers and refugees in Bradford and in defining pathways for greater access to essential services.

In her dream, Beatrice Botomani, the initiator of this conference and secretary of Bradford Refugee Forum says, “this is the beginning or foundation of a vibrant and proactive women refugee community which will result in the launch of Why Refugee Women Campaign which is hopefully to be launched in March during the International Women’s Day Event, 2011.  She said, airing the problems and concerns which this minority group has will set a basis of empowerment and confidence within them.  With the support that they will receive from the community and the service providers present on this day, a sense of feeling that they have got to do something will be developed, they have got to voice out even more and more and saturate the airwaves of the Bradford community about who they are and what type of life they have been and are going through and how they picture their future and that they need the community to understand them, and support them”.

To facilitate this, it is important that the women refugees and asylum seekers be provided with the right information at the right time and right place to enable them to make informed choices.  To achieve this different service providers will set up Information Shopping Stalls at which conference delegates (refugees and asylum seekers) will access wanted information and engage themselves directly with the service providers. 

Due to the diversified nature of the  Asylum seeking and refugee community already prepared interpreted information pack in different languages will be available and where possible  assistance to interpret shall be available throughout the day.