Our Home: Refugee Week 2024

In celebration of Refugee Week this year, we wanted to share some stories of refugees and asylum seekers that have felt welcomed home thanks to Upbeat Communities.

“Upbeat for me is like home. A place where you can find friends and people that are eager to help others that care about others, that they put others first than themselves. That are able to listen. So Upbeat for me is a place of hope.”

“Upbeat became like our home because we were part of something. We didn’t feel like we were part of something here in the UK, but then at Upbeat we found great friends. People we still share life with. It’s a blessing.”

“Upbeat never let us down, they never let my family down. They helped us move, they helped us find furniture. So if you ask me what Upbeat means to me, Upbeat is home. It’s a place where you can be yourself, where people gather together, and no matter where you come from, or who you are, you can be you. You are respected, you are valuable. For me, Upbeat is the heart of Derby.”

There are lots of activities taking place in Derby between 17th-23rd June 2024 to celebrate the amazing contributions refugees and asylum seekers make to our home in the UK. Find the full timetable here: https://derby.cityofsanctuary.org/2024/04/25/plans-for-refugee-week-2024-our-home