A WEEK of events have been held as part of a national campaign highlighting the difficulties many refugees face when relocating.

Bridport Refugee Support Campaign (BRSC) ran the events as part of Refugee Week (June 20-26) with a focus on the theme of ‘healing’.

The group hosted a special screening of Limbo at Bridport Arts Centre on Wednesday with special guest Shihab Kanbar.

Mr Kanbar, a Syrian refugee who came to Dorset under a resettlement scheme, spoke of his experiences at a Q&A that followed the screening. The Q&A was hosted by Chris Pike, Chair of Bridport Film Society, with the work made available in Arabic and Ukrainian to give refugees the chance to see the film.

Margie Barbour, a campaign trustee, said: “It means a great deal that a town like ours can welcome people from all across the world, hold out a hand and show them a loving and welcoming community.”

On Saturday, Ukrainian families who had settled in the Bridport area sang folk songs in the town centre as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the plight of refugees.

The group had also arranged for singers to join them. Mustafa Musto, sang songs from Syria, his homeland and, choir, Dorset Red sang songs of protest and community. A group of Syrian refugees then sang several traditional songs from Ukraine

Sunflower seeds that a Ukrainian had brought to Bridport to be planted here in hope were given out.

Rosie Allsop attended the event and said: "People had clearly come specially to hear the Ukrainians sing, and when they started singing people fell silent. It was very moving to see the refugees with their arms around each other, sharing their traditional songs with Bridport. At the end there were great cries for more but they just smiled and stepped aside, it had clearly meant a great deal to them to perform together"

On the final day of the campaign, The Chapel in the Garden welcomed refugees from several countries to a special service.

Ian Bark, Mayor of Bridport, was in attendance and Jane Coren stepped up to lead the service after, organiser, Maggie Barbour came down with Covid.

Jane said: “I always want to welcome strangers and have worked with refugees so I was delighted to lead the service. I particularly liked having the Lord’s Prayer read in three languages, Arabic, Ukrainian as well as in English by Reverend Elizabeth Harley. It was followed by a spiritual song from the Ukrainians which filled the Chapel with such strong emotions, it meant a great deal to everyone present. It was very moving when the congregation came forward to light their candles of joy and concern, sharing their hopes and fears with each other.”

To find out more about the work of the BRSC visit Bridportrefugee.com or email Bridportrsg@gmail.com