The history of Elmbridge CAN since it started in 2015. Myra's story Myra and her two children, Yasmin and Hassan, were three of the most vulnerable displaced people to join our community after fleeing the Syrian War. We have changed their names to protect their identities, as Myra has been subjected to domestic abuse from her former husband. The family left Damascus when the bombs came too close to home in 2017. After travelling to the border town of Idlib, they walked overnight to reach Turkey, before eventually being resettled by the UK government almost a year later. As a consequence of the abusive relationship, Myra and her two children were forced to move around the UK before they were able to find a safe haven in Surrey. Elmbridge CAN played a key role in supporting them through this nomadic existence until they finally secured social housing. The charity provided continuous support throughout the ordeal, including one-to-one English lessons, financial assistance, food bank vouchers, help with visa and immigration matters, and – perhaps most importantly - emotional support. The vulnerability of the family was accentuated by the language barrier, and it was in this field that Huda stepped in to become the crucial go-between that enabled the family to rebuild their shattered lives. Huda has lived in Oxshott for over three decades. After moving to London from Saudi Arabia, she then left the city for the Surrey town and set up an interior design business and also worked in the local flower shop on the high street. During her time here she has worked as an Arabic translator on an ad hoc basis. “I got a call from the council as there had been a case of domestic abuse towards the mother and the family,” Huda explains.” They had been put in emergency accommodation in West Molesey for six weeks. I met them and saw how vulnerable they were. I spoke to Jeannie from Elmbridge CAN, the charity was doing so much to support them. From there they moved to Croydon. Displaced people become very anxious each time you move them around. I visited them in Croydon and after three months, after speaking to the council, we managed to secure a room for them at a hotel nearer where Hassan was having English lessons. They stayed there for four months and then from there we got a one-bed place in Thames Ditton before finally moving on to Oxshott. Volunteers from Elmbridge CAN had been helping with English lessons and Hassan’s English improved massively.” “In the beginning it was so hard,” Hassan adds. “We’ve been in so many areas. We started out in Preston and then moved to places like Kingston, London and Croydon, just waiting for housing. I have worked in a restaurant and a factory. I would do any job with no experience needed. The home and the area we have found now are nice, I love it. I got a bicycle from Elmbridge CAN that really helps me travel around.” Older sister Yasmin has moved out of the home and is now building an independent life as a young adult. Myra still struggles with the language, but with Hassan and Huda’s support she finally feels settled and secure. “Myra really wants to contribute and she has found work as a carer and is also doing some shifts as a cleaner,” Huda continues. “They have been able to pay their way and the council has found some social housing in Oxshott. Hassan is making great progress with English and after being so vulnerable beforehand, with so much fear from the war and their domestic abuse, they now feel secure and capable.” “We are hard-working, and Syrians are very resilient,” Myra says. “We have been through so much. No matter how many times we fall, we bring ourselves up.” With the support of Elmbridge CAN and individuals like Huda, the family have finally been able to put a traumatic past behind them and can look to the future with hope and belief. “I want to be a hairdresser,” Hassan, now aged 22, reveals. “I have got a set of clippers and I am practising giving haircuts to my friends. In the beginning they didn’t trust me but when I showed them I could do it they gave me a chance. I would love to get a job doing that in Oxshott.” “I know so many people here, who are extremely genuine and want to help when I tell them about Elmbridge CAN,” Huda concludes. “I have been really happy living here, it’s so relaxed and a lovely, friendly environment. I think Myra and Hassan are feeling this, too.”

Finding affordable suitable accommodation is one of the biggest challenges faced by displaced people in Elmbridge. Rent your property Finding affordable, suitable accommodation is one of the biggest challenges faced by displaced people in Elmbridge. Many families are keen to stay in the area, especially if they have children settled in local schools. Lots of the people we support have already experienced considerable upheaval. The property market is tough: rents are expensive and landlords are often reluctant to accept tenants who rely on Universal Credit. Yet for landlords who can be a bit flexible, this is one of the biggest ways you can help and extend a lifeline to people experiencing the most desperate time of their lives. Is my property suitable for a displaced family? It may be if it meets these criteria: a self-contained dwelling with 1 bedroom or more in a reasonable condition available for at least 12 months, preferably longer in or near Elmbridge, ideally with good access to public transport and local amenities such as shops and schools. at a rent which is affordable and sustainable (i.e. close to the Local Housing Allowance rate ) as with any other tenancy, all relevant certification must be in place - gas safety (where relevant), electrical safety and an energy performance rating of “E” or above. If you are interested in renting a property to a displaced household, we recommend that you get in touch with Elmbridge Borough Council’s housing team, either by email on housingpolicy@elmbridge.gov.uk or telephone on 01372 474632. If you would like an informal chat with one of us first, please get in touch on contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk . While we do not offer a property search service or get directly involved in setting up tenancies, we can support clients as needed with various other aspects of the tenancy such as sourcing furniture and equipment, moving costs and setting up accounts for utilities. See also Elmbridge Borough Council’s information on the Afghan Locally Employed Staff Relocation Scheme , including details of the kind of properties needed to resettle households under this scheme and the support offered to landlords. If you think you might be interested in hosting a Ukrainian family or individual in your own home or a self-contained property you own, see our Become a host page for more information on what’s involved and the support available. Spread the word Even if you don't have a home to rent you can still help by sharing the need with friends and neighbours, by signing up for our newsletter to hear about future needs and appeals, or by following us on social media and sharing our posts. Thanks to everyone once again for your generosity, support, and for making our new beginning in this beautiful place so much easier. Natalia

We have created a full guide for you to understand the different transport options in Elmbridge. Test page! The public transport network of trains and buses can be confusing for new arrivals to Elmbridge. We have created a full guide for you to understand the different options and help you get around the local area: Public transport information sheet This is where the story heading goes This is where the short intro copy goes to encourage readers to find out more. Don't forget to check in both desktop and mobile version. Read our story Heading 2 I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy. I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy. BUTTON Heading 1 I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy. Heading 2 Homes for Ukraine (H4U) temporary bus pass scheme Surrey County Council has worked with bus companies in Surrey to set up this scheme. It offers those who arrived on the H4U scheme a free bus pass for 6 months for travel on their most used bus route. Participating companies include Stagecoach, Compass, Metrobus, Falcon, White Bus and Reptons. Find out more details and how to apply here . Driving in the UK Can I use my driving licence issued by my home country? This government webpage has a tool you can use to see if you can drive in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) on your licence issued by another country. In most cases, you can drive any type of small vehicle (for example cars or motorcycles) listed on your licence for 12 months from when you first arrived in Great Britain. However, Ukrainians (who entered on a Ukraine visa scheme) can continue driving here for three years from arrival. After the end of this period, you will need to either exchange your licence for a UK licence or pass theory and practical tests to acquire a UK licence. Visit this page to find out how to do this. Can I drive my car that I brought with me from another country? Generally you will be allowed to drive your car for up to six months. After that time you must “import” your vehicle which involves registering and taxing it. See this government webpage for more detail on the process. How can I get a UK driving licence? You will need to follow these steps in order to get a UK driving licence. This includes applying for a provisional licence, and passing both a theory test and a practical test. Elmbridge CAN runs driving theory lessons, visit our What’s On page to find out more. We recommend these books to help you pass the theory test: The Official DVSA Highway Code The Official DVSA Guide to Driving There are also various apps which can help, such as the Official DVSA theory test kit. You can buy and download this using these links: App for iOS / Apple App for Android eLearning platform (to use on a tablet, computer or mobile device) Once you are learning to drive, there are videos on YouTube which can help you, such as these: DGN Driving Drive London How expensive is it to run a car? The AA (Automobile Association) has published some useful guidance on the cost of running a car, here . In addition to the cost of buying and maintaining the car, and the cost of fuel, there are various other costs to consider - including tax, insurance and MOT (annual safety check), all of which are mandatory in the UK. Oxshott Care This local charity arranges lifts for Oxshott residents to medical appointments. They may be able to help with lifts to other important appointments, and with shopping and picking up prescriptions. See their website for more details or call them on 07950 478329 (phone line open from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday. You can also leave a message).

We have created a full guide for you to understand the different transport options in Elmbridge. Transport The public transport network of trains and buses can be confusing for new arrivals to Elmbridge. We have created a full guide for you to understand the different options and help you get around the local area: Public transport information sheet Homes for Ukraine (H4U) temporary bus pass scheme Surrey County Council has worked with bus companies in Surrey to set up this scheme. It offers those who arrived on the H4U scheme a free bus pass for 6 months for travel on their most used bus route. Participating companies include Stagecoach, Compass, Metrobus, Falcon, White Bus and Reptons. Find out more details and how to apply here . Driving in the UK Can I use my driving licence issued by my home country? This government webpage has a tool you can use to see if you can drive in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) on your licence issued by another country. In most cases, you can drive any type of small vehicle (for example cars or motorcycles) listed on your licence for 12 months from when you first arrived in Great Britain. However, Ukrainians (who entered on a Ukraine visa scheme) can continue driving here for three years from arrival. After the end of this period, you will need to either exchange your licence for a UK licence or pass theory and practical tests to acquire a UK licence. Visit this page to find out how to do this. Can I drive my car that I brought with me from another country? Generally you will be allowed to drive your car for up to six months. After that time you must “import” your vehicle which involves registering and taxing it. See this government webpage for more detail on the process. How can I get a UK driving licence? You will need to follow these steps in order to get a UK driving licence. This includes applying for a provisional licence, and passing both a theory test and a practical test. Elmbridge CAN runs driving theory lessons, visit our What’s On page to find out more. We recommend these books to help you pass the theory test: The Official DVSA Highway Code The Official DVSA Guide to Driving There are also various apps which can help, such as the Official DVSA theory test kit. You can buy and download this using these links: App for iOS / Apple App for Android eLearning platform (to use on a tablet, computer or mobile device) Once you are learning to drive, there are videos on YouTube which can help you, such as these: DGN Driving Drive London How expensive is it to run a car? The AA (Automobile Association) has published some useful guidance on the cost of running a car, here . In addition to the cost of buying and maintaining the car, and the cost of fuel, there are various other costs to consider - including tax, insurance and MOT (annual safety check), all of which are mandatory in the UK. Oxshott Care This local charity arranges lifts for Oxshott residents to medical appointments. They may be able to help with lifts to other important appointments, and with shopping and picking up prescriptions. See their website for more details or call them on 07950 478329 (phone line open from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday. You can also leave a message).

From arriving in the UK with next to nothing, to establishing a successful business. Read how three Ukrainian women have joined forces and rebuilt their lives in Elmbridge Hasina's story There is an expression in Afghanistan which translates literally as ‘they have my shoulder’ – in English it’s probably ‘they have my back’. This is how Hasina describes Elmbridge CAN. “They really have been a light of hope; they are bringing fuel back to my engine.” Meeting Hasina, today it is clear that she was quite a driving force in Kabul before the Taliban seized power in 2021. Virtually all of Hasina’s career has been spent promoting the abilities and role of women. Four years ago, she worked at government level as Minister of Women Affairs. August 15th 2021, the day the Taliban seized Kabul, is cemented in Hasina’s and many Afghans’ memories. Things moved very quickly as she realised that their promise of respecting women’s rights would be instantly and completely ignored. Within a few days Hasina was informed by her security team that there was a directive to assassinate her. Whomever she stayed with was put in extreme danger. Hasina reluctantly knew she and the family had to leave the country to survive, but it was not an easy decision. She had 10 family members to consider including her two children and disabled dependants. “I was not scared for myself, I was worried. Scared for my children. It’s very tough to be a mother, very tough. Only those who have children will understand.” The situation at Kabul airport during late August 2021 has taken its place in history. Many international news agencies were there to document the mass of humanity trying to escape, even in some cases attempting to cling on to aircraft as they taxied before take-off. Equally tragic scenes were unfolding just outside the perimeter gates. This is where Hasina and her family were instructed to go. Through the co-ordinated efforts of international forces, they entered Kabul airport; the British FCO had sent her a pass with strict instructions not to tell anyone. At this point in her account Hasina’s voice drops to a whisper as she fights back tears. ‘It was terrible, terrible. You would see people with their passports saying ‘I have worked with you’ – but there were no human rights. None. People and children were lying on the ground.” During that time she still did not know if they would all make it. Eventually, the family arrived in the UK and was taken to a hotel in Thames Ditton alongside other refugees. Hasina remembers Elmbridge CAN and the council being there to help from day one, identifying everyone’s needs. She remembers the moment she met Jeannie very clearly. “I talked with her, I cried with her and that was the time that I really saw that Jeannie was a person who could understand women in conflict.” Those were difficult days. There was another incident that Hasina recalls with a smile. Her son Hamzah was invited to play football with other teenagers. Because of her high-level position back in Afghanistan, Hasina’s children were isolated for security reasons and not allowed out unaccompanied. Their mother had already survived two attempts on her life, so sending her son out into the dark Thursday evening in winter was not an option. However, Elmbridge CAN gave her confidence that not only would it be safe, but it would also be a step forward in everyone’s recovery. Hasina now accepts just how important it was for everyone that her son joined in. There were classes on offer organised by Elmbridge CAN: English, embroidery and computer lessons. Four years on and Hasina’s mother-in-law is still enjoying the sewing machine presented by Elmbridge CAN, openly admitting that the sewing which she loved back home, has supported her in her recovery from the trauma. The family finally settled in Walton-on-Thames. “That was the time that Elmbridge CAN really shouldered me. They looked after me personally, and they gave me a hand. They provided volunteers for both my daughters to help them with their studies and with integration. Then there were the maths and chemistry lessons for her son. It is clear that Hasina is a very strong woman who has spent nearly all her life helping others. And when she needed help, Elmbridge CAN was there for her. “I don’t have the words to thank Elmbridge CAN for the patience, the understanding, the solidarity, the love and the care that they have provided, not only for me and my family, but for the whole group of evacuees that was in the hotel.”

Olena and Tetiana: stories of hosting Ukrainians in Elmbridge Tetiana's and Olena's story ‘I have learnt how fortunate I am,’ Diane insists. ‘When I think something in life is a bit of a nuisance, I think “How dare I”. I have enjoyed everything about having them here.’ ‘We can’t imagine what they have been through,’ says Bob. ‘I love the fact that so much is happening all around us,’ Cathy adds. ‘We’ve gained far more than we’ve lost.’ Hosting Ukrainian families in the community here in Elmbridge has been a profound experience for those who have done it. Opening up a home and welcoming others into the family takes courage but it is also a hugely rewarding experience. ‘I’d been thinking about it for a while and I was in the lucky position of having space,’ Diane continues. ‘I had followed the war in the news and had been in touch with Elmbridge Council to say I’d be interested in having somebody. I had a phone call one day and I was introduced to these three people.’ These three are Tetiana and her two children, Alex (15) and Daria (11). They lived in Vinnytsia, a city in central Ukraine. When the war broke out on 24 February 2022, Tetiana’s husband stayed behind to join the military. A bomb landed at the military base just three kilometres outside the city on the first day of fighting. ‘It was six o’clock the next morning when we left,’ Alex recalls. ‘We travelled to Chernivtsi, which is a city near the Romanian border. I was the guy with the map and I had to lead two cars. I was sharing the map reading with Nikita, we’d do four hours each at a time. I was trying to figure out where to go. Across the border we found a city about 50 kilometres away.’ Nikita is a year older than Alex. He has a younger brother, Mike, who is eight, and they travelled in convoy with mum Olena, who owns a travel agency with Tetiana back in Vinnytsia. The two families are close but nothing could have prepared them for the epic journey across Europe which lasted over two months. Taking in Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Belgium and France they travelled over 3000km to reach the safety of these shores. ‘We never thought about coming to England at first,’ Alex explains. ‘I’ve always wanted to study abroad, I learnt English when I was four, then I started to learn French. I never thought about coming to the UK because it’s so hard to get a visa. I tried to learn some Czech on the way here but I didn’t really like it so I said to Mum, “Let’s go to America”. She said, “How are we going to go to America with this car?” Then Mum found on a Facebook group the Homes for Ukraine programme in the UK and we applied for that.’ Diane’s son and two daughters live locally and have been very supportive. She is a former primary school headteacher who retired from her most recent role as a director of a counselling charity and had lived alone in Weybridge for the past six years when she opened her doors to Tetiana’s family. ‘My family consider you part of our family,’ Diane says, as the five of them sit around the garden table reflecting on the events of the past year. ‘We all knew at the beginning that certain things might go wrong but nothing was insoluble and we always talk things through, we’ve become like a close family. Tetiania’s children attend school locally and feel secure and safe in their new environment. ‘Everything is good here,’ says Daria. ‘I love Di because she’s so happy every day and is always joking. Rose is a lovely dog too.’ A mile away in Oatlands, Cathy and Bob have two dogs at their home – Maisie and Lola - and the bustle of more footsteps through the door when Olena, Nikita and Mike arrived in September 2022 has been one of the many positives of this extended family. Cathy is also a recently retired primary school headteacher while Bob is still busy combining work as a part-time lecturer, local councillor and amateur cricketer. ‘After working 24/7 for 40-odd years, I like the fact that people are coming and going all the time,’ Cathy says. ‘We get on really well. When you live with people occasionally some things annoy you but not a lot, to be honest. The better you get to know people the better you can work things out. We eat separately but occasionally at weekends we’ll get a takeaway together or cook together. We love the way our two daughters have embraced the whole thing and there are times when we all go to family events together which is great. ‘We have arrangements in the house to allow independence and inter-dependence. You have to be flexible. Historically we’ve always opened our doors to people. I have two nieces from the United States who both have lived with us for a time, so we’re quite used to that sort of thing. You’ve got to not mind about sharing your house as a home for someone else, and we don’t mind that at all. You become a household that understands how you all work together and that develops over time. And the best thing is Olena’s cheesecake, she makes the best cheesecake ever!’ ‘The dogs love having more people around,’ Bob adds. ‘Olena and the boys tend to fit in with what we do. We have little rules about the house to stop things like eight-year-olds traipsing through the house with muddy shoes from the garden, but that’s part of life! I have taken both boys to an Arsenal match and we’ve also been to see their school performances. Early on I asked Mike what his teacher was like and he said, “So, so!” I don’t think he’d have learnt that turn of phrase in the Ukraine.’ ‘They help our boys with their homework sometimes which is great,’ Olena reveals. ‘I love this family and it’s an amazing place to live. For Nikita, who is older, it was difficult to settle at first but Mike doesn’t want to go back to the Ukraine, he loves it here. He does football, tennis, gymnastics, everything. We are lucky with this family as our life depends on the environment here in this home.’ Olena and Tetiana are embarking on new careers too. After leaving the travel business behind they are taking their first steps into landscape gardening after initially working at their hosts’ gardens and then expanding to the neighbours. ‘I know a lady in Ukraine who is a biologist and I got in touch with her and she helped me out about how to look after plants, treat diseases and make sure they are healthy,’ Olena explains. ‘I have 20 clients here now, and there are nearly ten of us working together.’ ‘It is difficult to plan but maybe our dream could be a landscape design company in the future,’ adds Tetiana. ‘That is the challenge, how can we make our life comfortable?’ Contributing to the community is important for Olena and Tetiana. They left a wholesome life behind and want to embrace the new world as much as possible. ‘When we came here I put my heart into it to make it an interesting trip,’ Tetiana continues. ‘It would have been very difficult to think about the bigger problem of the war in Ukraine. Sometimes I can’t understand what has happened to us and what will happen in the future and when I think about this it’s very bad for my mental health. So I think about what we have here, with Di and other very nice people nearby, my children studying in school, and a lovely garden for us, a safe place where there are no rockets flying over us.’ The war is, inevitably, a constant presence in their lives, with Nikita and Alex paying particular attention to what is happening back home. ‘I have to follow it, my Dad is in the military so I get to know all the news,’ Alex explains. ‘Dad has been in dangerous situations. He has been near the frontline at times. Then Dad started to do a role involving more paperwork so he got moved to headquarters, but he still travels to the frontline at times.’ Out of the most terrible circumstances these two families have formed a lifelong bond with their hosts in the UK. And for the hosts, this has been a fulfilling opportunity to share something incredibly precious: a home. ‘When you ask about living in the same environment, it has to be our house together - all five of us’, Cathy points out. ‘It can’t be “Our house – Bob and I – and you three are living in it”, that wouldn’t work.’ Olena and her boys will always appreciate that. And just a mile down the road, Tetiana is equally thankful that Diane has come into their lives. ‘Di has opened not just her house but also her heart and we thank her so much for that.’

Contact Elmbridge CAN by email or fill in this form. Contact us Sign up to receive our newsletter or contact us if you have a specific enquiry. We’d love to hear from you! Sign up to our newsletter Contact us First name* Last name Email* Message Submit Other ways to contact Elmbridge CAN Email: contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk Write to us : PO Box 112, East Molesey, KT8 8EN.

Elmbridge CAN offers a range of free activities specifically designed for displaced people. What's on Elmbridge CAN offers a range of free activities specifically designed for displaced people. There are lots of other sports, social and cultural activities that you can participate in - many of them free of charge - in your local area. Elmbridge CAN activities Below you will find our normal term-time schedule. Classes English classes for all levels, with play helpers for children on Fridays. Tuesdays 10.00–11.30 St James Parish Centre, Weybridge KT13 8DN. Fridays 10.15-11.45 Walton Community Centre, Manor Road, Walton KT12 2PB. We sometimes run driving theory classes depending on demand - contact us for details. Drop-in hubs Come to meet others, practice your English or ask questions. Tuesdays 11.00-13.00 Weybridge Library, Church Street, Weybridge KT13 8DE. Fridays 11.00-12.30 Walton Community Centre, Manor Road, Walton KT12 2PB. St Nicholas Church, Summer Rd, Thames Ditton KT7 0QQ - by appointment only. St Andrews Church, Cobham KT11 3EJ - by appointment only. Teenagers Sports and social for displaced young people age 13-19. Thursdays 19.30-21.00 St George’s College, Weybridge KT15 2QS. Please contact us if your child would like to participate. Help with transport may be available. Other activities in the community Gym and swimming Running and walking Yoga Tennis For teenagers Cycling Cultural activities Gym and swimming Gym memberships, swimming and exercise classes are available at the XCel Leisure Complex and Hurst Pool . They offer a free 3-month membership for displaced people. After the initial 3 months, you can get a 20% discount on membership. There is a women-only swimming session on Saturdays 18.00-19.00 at Hurst Pool. Back to top Running and walking Parkrun is a free, community event where you can walk, jog or run 5 kilometres (or volunteer or spectate). It takes place every Saturday morning at 9.00 across multiple locations. Our Parks also offer free running and fitness classes in parks across the UK. Back to top Special group activities Elmbridge Borough Council Our local council runs different wellbeing activities, as well as specialist groups for resettled people. You can join in activites such as local walks, tennis, yoga and cricket. Find out more and get involved. Mary Frances Trust Mary Frances Trust is a charity which offers wellbeing activities, such as yoga and walking, community groups and courses throughout the year. Find out more about the Mary Frances Trust and how to register for their activities. Women's groups Some local groups meet and are a safe environment for women and children only. Multi-Connections group Holy Trinity Claygate Church, KT10 0JP Alternate Saturdays in term-time 11.00 -12.30 Email: belcramer@htclaygate.org Sisterhood group Wednesdays 12.30-14.30 St John's Church Walton, KT12 3JQ Yoga Yoga is more than just an exercise class. It has been proven to help with trauma symptoms. The local classes below offer a discount for displaced people (see also Mary Frances Trust above). Sport in Mind charity offers free yoga at the Xcel Leisure Centre on a Wednesday 12-1pm. You can sign up here . Yoga with Ruth in Weybridge Yoga with Florendia in Walton and Weybridge Yoga with Uzma in Cobham Back to top Tennis Displaced people in Elmbridge (and any Elmbridge residents in receipt of benefits) are eligible for a FREE tennis pass to use at any of the 12 sites operated by Parks Tennis in Elmbridge. Send an email to sign up: parkstennis@elmbridge.gov.uk . Back to top For teenagers There are a number of activities that are run especially for teens. Here are some of the local schemes - many of which are free of charge. Virtual youth space for Ukrainian kids: sessions run from 18.00 to 19.00 on the first and third Thursday of every month. For more information e-mail: ukrainiansupport@barnardos.org.uk . Football with Chelsea FC: free football training for boys and girls from age 11-17, in a variety of locations across Surrey. It is run by Premier League Kicks, funded by the Premier League through the Premier League Charitable Fund. Complete the form here (y o u can select a time and location). XCel Leisure Complex in Walton runs drop-in sessions for teens age 11-16. Contact them direct for more information. Claygate Youth and Community Hub provides free sessions for teens on Tuesdays 18.00-20.00 and Thursdays 19.00 to 21.00. They also offer youth sport sessions on Wednesdays from 18.00 to 19.30. See their website for full details. Foley Boxing Club for both boys and girls, is run by the Metropolitan Police at Imber Court, Molesey KT8 0BT. There is a charge of £5 per class, but ask for a concession if you cannot afford it. Please contact Lee Martin on 07957 829030 for more information and to book. Back to top Cycling We often get bikes donated and we can also teach people how to ride if required. Bikes are subject to availability. Please send an email to materials@elmbridgecan.org.uk to let us know your needs - age, height etc. Back to top Cultural activities Hampton Court Palace offers £1 tickets for eligible individuals. For more information and to book online visit their website . Many galleries and museums in London are free to visit. There are so many to choose from. Visit London has lots of ideas and suggestions for cheap days out. If you need help accessing any of the services on this page, then please get in touch. Back to top

Following her flight from Saudi Arabia, Nadia spent seven months living in a small hotel room in Stevenage until she found a host in Elmbridge. Nadia's story There was a moment when, having just arrived in Hersham from Hertfordshire, Nadia wasn’t sure where her next meal was coming from. Following her flight from Saudi Arabia, the 25-year-old had just spent seven months living in a single hotel room in Stevenage and had finally found a host in Elmbridge. However, the host’s work meant there was very little to eat in the house and also, Nadia had mislaid her Home Office Application Registration Card which would have allowed her to claim £9 per week. Add to this that she wasn’t permitted to ask her host for cash (although the host did make a few good suggestions) and Nadia was getting desperate. Someone then suggested contacting Elmbridge CAN. Nadia emailed the charity pleading “I don’t have food, please help me”. “I was freaking out, I didn’t know what to do”, she says. It was at that point that Elmbridge CAN came into Nadia’s life. The next day Jeannie emailed stating that she’d very soon receive a large food box plus a £50 Tesco gift card. “Elmbridge CAN saved me” recalls Nadia. “It’s like when you are so terribly anxious and then suddenly everything gets better. I was showered with kindness. I cannot thank them enough.” There were more food boxes to follow. Another huge box turned up filled with vegetables, pasta and what Nadia calls “general goodness”. More recently Jeannie has been helping Nadia with her Home Office application. As an asylum seeker, Nadia is unable to work, yet she is offering her time free with local hospitality outlets in order to get experience while she is also studying in order to gain qualifications to move on to the next stage in her life. “I just felt Elmbridge CAN had my back” says Nadia. The new-found support meant that Nadia could plan her next move following her escape from the ultra-strict Middle Eastern country.

You can support the integration of forcibly displaced people, allowing them to become contributing, thriving members of our community. Donate By donating to our work, you are directly supporting the integration of refugees, allowing them to become fully contributing, thriving members of our community. Donate money We are incredibly grateful for financial donations which allow us to continue our work. As the chosen charity of the Mayor of Elmbridge for her term of office from May 2026 until 31 March 2027, we are raising money for the Mayor of Elmbridge's charity campaign which will ultimately be split between Elmbridge CAN (90%) and The Mayor of Elmbridge's Trust Fund (10%). Please use the buttons below to donate either directly to Elmbridge CAN, or to the Mayor of Elmbridge's charity campaign. Donate directly to Elmbridge CAN Donate to Mayor of Elmbridge charity campaign Prefer bank transfer or cheque? Note: your donations will go direct to Elmbridge CAN unless you tell us you want to donate to the Mayor of Elmbridge's charity campaign. Bank transfer : please email contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk for account details. Cheque: please make these payable to Elmbridge CAN and send them to PO Box 112, East Molesey, KT8 8EN. Gift Aid: if you're a UK taxpayer, please also complete this form to allow us to claim Gift Aid and return it to contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk or by post to PO Box 112, East Molesey, KT8 8EN. How your money is helping Read our stories to find out how your money is helping some of the most vulnerable people in our society or read our latest Charity Commission report . Leave a gift in your will By remembering Elmbridge CAN in your will, you can make a lasting difference for displaced families in our community. Even a small gift helps provide welcome, support, and opportunities for those forced to flee their homes — ensuring future generations continue to find safety and hope here in Elmbridge. If you’d like to discuss legacy giving with us in confidence, please contact us by email at contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk or by phone on 07840 843449. Donate items We have no storage so unfortunately, we can only accept donations of items we currently need. See the list below which is regularly updated and if you can donate something on the list, please email materials@elmbridgecan.org.uk . Items we currently need If you have other items to donate which are not on this list, please consider giving them to other charities which may appreciate these such as Care4Calais or Shelter . Donate shares ShareGift collects small lots of shares and donates the funds created to charities. Often unwanted because they are too small to sell, these shares can be transferred to ShareGift at no cost to the shareholder, aggregated and sold to benefit different registered charities. ShareGift can also accept larger donations of shares. If you have shares that you no longer want, you can help support us by donating them to ShareGift and mentioning Elmbridge CAN. I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude... Elmbridge CAN, you have changed my life, and I am forever grateful. LA

The history of Elmbridge CAN since it started in 2015. Elmbridge CAN - our history Since forming in 2016, Elmbridge CAN has grown in strength and size, currently supporting over 330 families who have fled conflict or persecution. “It was a response to what was happening in Syria,” Elmbridge CAN co-director Jeannie Tweedie explains. “We connected through social media initially and then a group of us met up in a pub to work out what we could do. The first significant thing we did was organise a meeting in collaboration with the local authority and invited various stakeholders along.” The council agreed to take part in the Syrian Resettlement Scheme, so the most urgent work Elmbridge CAN undertook was finding hosts for refugees. In 2017, the first family arrived in Elmbridge. Housed in Oxshott without a car, an environment culturally very different to Syria, the local community rallied around. Today, some of those children from that family are young adults, studying at university. “What is amazing is when you see a family or individual transform their lives,” Jeannie reflects. “We support them and walk beside them if they want us to, but it is they who do it.” The early priorities of the organisation involved getting houses ready for new arrivals; often laborious work sourcing furniture. Gradually more families arrived and, by 2018 when Elmbridge CAN registered as a charity, roughly 30 Syrians had been resettled alongside other nationalities. Among them was Nurettin, a Turkish asylum seeker, who rebuilt his life in the IT industry where his expertise lay prior to fleeing his country. He has since become a trustee of the charity. “What every arrival has in common is that they have lost their home, their familiarity, their security and the feeling of belonging somewhere,” Jeannie adds. “There is a cultural adjustment to deal with. It’s hugely variable, but they all have that loss in common.” So, creating an infrastructure became a key part of Elmbridge CAN’s work. An English class was launched, recruiting volunteers who got busy helping with one-to-one English lessons, supporting children’s learning and helping people find jobs. Over 40 hours of tutoring and homework help are delivered each week. When Ayram left Syria at the age of seven she joined 100,000 others fleeing persecution at a refugee camp in Jordan. Eleven years later she is studying Law at the University of Surrey. Elmbridge CAN has thrived through its adaptability. In August 2021, the fall of Afghanistan meant that - almost overnight - approximately 200 Afghans arrived locally. Each had been part of a deeply traumatic evacuation. They were placed in hotel accommodation in Thames Ditton. “We stepped up, as did the local community, many of whom joined us as volunteers,” Jeannie recalls. “We organised clothing and toy deliveries. We set up whole family ESOL classes in the hotel, as it took around a term for school places to be found for the children. We held Eid parties and started a sewing group for the women. “We have a volunteer called Tim who is our bike guy. He mends bikes when people donate them and they are incredibly useful for people. It really makes a difference. We’ve had women who’ve had the opportunity to learn how to ride a bike for the first time.” Elmbridge CAN took on further responsibilities when the council-employed support worker left, meaning statutory support for the Syrians now came under the umbrella of the organisation. With that, and funding from Walton Charity for an administrator, Elmbridge CAN was able to employ its first staff. In February 2022, the invasion of Ukraine forced many Ukrainians to flee. The local community welcomed over 600 displaced Ukrainians, mainly women and children. Elmbridge CAN volunteers organised weekly welcome hubs and the local council issued a contract for the charity to employ two Ukrainian-speaking integration workers. “They got busy with re-matching people who needed new hosts,” Jeannie recalls. “We had to put together an infrastructure capable of moving an organisation from being one that supported 30 families, to one that currently supports over 350.” The charity set up two community English classes in different locations. Together with its hubs, and one-to-one volunteer placements, they meet the needs of displaced families. For some individuals, the charity provides a high-needs case service led by experienced integration workers. Other people may simply need practical support. “One little girl had the biggest smile on her face after we gave her an electronic keyboard,” says Jeannie. “We have a common humanity around the world for our children. Many families have come here because of their children. We work not just with those who have come through resettlement schemes, but those who have had to come through the asylum route. Our aim remains the same as when we started: to welcome.” The next step is to secure the organisation’s future in a changing world. “We’ve had to be quite reactive in the past and there’s always that uncertainty about the environment we are in,” Jeannie concludes. “We have built something important and we want to make that sustainable. We’ve had growth without planning it so we can grow further with planning, but we need it to be properly resourced. It’s about bringing the community together.”

Useful information and tools to help you get informed on the issues or take action.    Get informed To stay up-to-date on our activities you can read our recent newsletters on our Latest news page and sign up to receive future newsletters here . You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram (links at the bottom of the page). This page contains useful information and tools to help you get informed on the broader issues. National organisations Although we are a local organisation, forcibly displaced people coming to Elmbridge are of course affected by the wider issues on both a national and international scale. It helps to be informed. We recommend you check out Refugee Action or the Refugee Council , where you can find a wealth of information, including useful explainers , for example, the truth about asylum or the real facts about refugees . The sites are packed with relevant facts, statistics and stories. Alternatively, visit Citizens UK Campaigns or simply write to your local MP . Films and documentaries There are lots of great films available to help you become better informed. Here’s a few to get you started. Human Flow - 2017 Why do we have so much migration coming our way? If you want a big picture perspective, this is the one. Filmed across 23 countries by international artist and filmmaker Ai Weiwei, this film studies the global issue of migration with a completely apolitical approach. Rather, it aims to show the human side of the phenomenon, putting a face to the huge numbers of people following migration routes every year. Available to watch on Amazon Prime. Here’s the trailer . For Sama - 2019, BAFTA winner, Oscar-nominated for best documentary An intimate and visceral documentary, this multi-award-winning film is a journey though motherhood during the bombings of the Syrian civil war. Waad al-Kateab's first feature documentary is a story of love, resilience and hope, framed by suffering and harsh dilemmas. Available to watch on Channel 4 Another News Story - 2019 Directed by Verity Wislowki, shot across nine countries from Greece to Germany, the film goes behind the scenes of the news crews reporting the refugee story at the height of the European crisis. It takes the viewer to the other side of the camera and inspires us to re-evaluate our relationship with the global media and how we consume news. Available to watch on Amazon Prime . Read and share Gray Bees by Andrey Kurkov, a famous Ukrainian novelist who dramatises the conflict raging in his country with his trademark wry humour, through the adventures of a beekeeper. Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini (author of The Kite Runner). Based on a Syrian father’s reflections, while watching his sleeping son, as they await the perilous journey across the Mediterranean. Author proceeds are donated to UNHCR. Shatila Stories published by Peirene who commissioned nine refugees to tell their ‘Shatila Stories’. The result is a piece of collaborative fiction unlike any other. Read if you want to understand the chaos of the Middle East, or just to enjoy a beautiful love story. No Friend but the Mountains by Behrouz Boochani, a Kurdish journalist who was illegally detained on Manus Island and laboriously typed his story on a mobile phone. Translated from Farsi. In the Wars by Dr Waheed Arian. Feel inspired by this incredible Afghan doctor's story. Hope Not Fear by Hassan Akkad, about his harrowing experience leaving Syria and the kindness he experienced in the UK, which helped him get back on his feet and rebuild his life. Would you like to receive occasional updates on our work? Sign up to receive our newsletter .