As we reach the end of this extremely unusual year, I would just like to take this opportunity to express my thanks, pride and admiration in how brilliantly everyone at Scottish Refugee Council, as well as our friends, supporters, partners and clients, have worked together in the face of the immense challenges and changes to our lives.
No one of us could have imagined the scale of change we had to endure. A global public health crisis wasn’t part of our new strategic plan, we hadn’t risk assessed for a pandemic. Covid-19 caught us and the world by surprise. The scale and speed of the change has been staggering.
Thank you
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at Scottish Refugee Council for rising to this challenge, for your relentless commitment, enthusiasm and skills in the work that you do and for the impact you have on changing people’s lives in difficult circumstances; even when working from your rooms and bedrooms.
I extend this thanks to all of our supporters, colleagues and partners, who have also been working tirelessly in these challenging conditions to build a better future for refugees in Scotland.
And finally, I thank our clients and communities, for bearing with us as we adapt to this crisis and for helping us navigate this new world. Hostile immigration policies have merged with Covid-19 restrictions and made the asylum system even more unbearable. We don’t know when the pandemic will end but we will continue to provide advice, support and a listening ear no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, as this year has proven.
We are here. And we hear you.
Support people seeking safety in Scotland this winter
While we can’t provide our services in person this year, the need for our support is greater than ever. Every day our caseworkers are online, on the telephone and behind the scenes, providing emergency support and advice to refugees across Scotland. To help keep our services running, please consider making a donation to our Winter Appeal.
As part of this year’s appeal, our lovely caseworkers teamed up with some well-known Scottish faces, to help share some heart-breaking and inspiring stories from refugees in Scotland. Watch our mini-series, and find out why your support is so vital this winter.
Come along to our festive fundraising event on Tuesday 22nd December, 7-8.30pm.
We can’t be with you all in person this year, so our team is bringing people together virtually on Tuesday 22nd Dec. Join us for a festive evening of storytelling, music and poetry with special guests Katie Leung, Jean Johansson and Eddie Reader. Get your tickets for Apart But Still Together.
Thank you for your support this year and every year.
Donate to our winter appeal.
Sabir Zazai, Chief Executive at Scottish Refugee Council
FESTIVE CLOSURE | Our services are closed from Friday 25th December until Tuesday 5th January. We’ve compiled a list of places to find help over the festive period.
