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Find out more about the work of Elmbridge CAN by signing up for our newsletter. Newsletter sign up We send newsletters by email roughly every quarter, to update our supporters on our activities. Occasionally we run an emergency appeal, in which case we would send an additional newsletter focussing on that. You can find all our recent newsletters on our Latest news page . Our pledge to you: We won't bombard you with emails We will keep your data safe and secure We won't share your data without permission You can opt out at any time Newsletter sign up First name* Last name* Email* Subscribe You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by emailing contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk . We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform and by clicking the subscribe button, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy policy here . Subject to the above, we will never share your data with third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. For more detail on how we use your data see our privacy policy .

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. Our classes and activities for teenagers have now finished for the 2024-5 academic year. Our Tuesday drop-in hub in Weybridge will be running throughout the summer (no hub in Walton). All activities will resume from the week commencing 8th September 2025. You can still access our support during the summer via our Weybridge hub or email us to make an appointment: contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk . Back to top 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. Driving theory classes are also available on Tuesdays - contact us for details. Drop-in hubs Come to meet others, practice your English or ask questions. Tuesdays 11.00-13.00 Weybridge Community Centre, Churchfield House, KT13 8DB. 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. Mini-bus pickups from Walton and Weybridge. Please contact us if your child would like to participate. 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: pippacramer@htclaygate.org .uk 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

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 We offer regular drop-in English classes during term-time, as well as a weekly hub where displaced people can come to ask questions and access our support. For more information and to register with us please email contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk . 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 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.

Information about housing for displaced people in Elmbridge Housing Elmbridge CAN can't provide housing but we can advise you on your options and we can sometimes help you look for accommodation in the private rent sector. For Ukrainians, we can try to 'rematch' you with a new host. Read on for more information. Please note that most of the information below is relevant only if you have permission to remain in the UK. For information about the asylum system in the UK including financial support see Right to Remain . Can I get my own accommodation from the council? Social housing in the UK is in very short supply, especially for larger households, and particularly in Elmbridge as it is an expensive area and there is a shortage of housing. There are very long waiting lists for social housing. If you are in danger of homelessness and are in a priority group where the council has a duty to help you, then they may be able to support you with emergency accommodation. This may be in a bed and breakfast and it may be outside of Elmbridge. You can find out more information including how to apply for social housing on the council’s website here Elmbridge Borough Council - Housing . How can I get my own accommodation? Whether you have children or not, your Universal Credit benefit can include help with rental costs, also known as Housing Benefit. The Housing Benefit allowance was increased in Elmbridge in April 2024. You can check out the local Housing Benefit allowance here . Depending on your circumstances, Elmbridge Borough Council may also be able to help you with finding rental accommodation. See Find a place to live . You can also look at websites like Rightmove for a property to rent. Being in employment can sometimes help with securing accommodation. Finding housing can be hard. It is important to be persistent and not lose hope. Our charity doesn't offer a property search service but if you are homeless or vulnerably housed, Rentstart is a local charity which has a very useful guide to renting privately on low incomes. Rentstart primarily helps people who are not on the council’s priority list, such as single adults without children. In the UK, many younger single people, or couples, form a group with friends to rent accommodation together. See also these useful guides for Ukrainians on how to rent property in the UK in Ukrainian and Russian . Discretionary housing payments available for housing are occasionally available from Elmbridge Council: Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) . For Ukrainians under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme: how can I change my host? We are working closely with Elmbridge Council to help ensure that re-matches can be arranged where there is a priority need for this, for example if there is a medical need or if there is an irreversible breakdown in relationships. Please get in touch with us if you think this might apply to you, by emailing contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk or coming to one of our hubs (see our What’s on page ). There may also be ways that we can help you resolve differences with your original host family.

Building a life in a new country can be challenging. We provide practical information, such as how to register with your local doctor, as well as other support which you or your family members might need. Health and wellbeing We recognise that building a life in a new country can be challenging. On this page you can find practical information, such as how to register with your local doctor, as well as other support which you or your family members might need. There are also some self-help resources which you may find useful. Doctors Dentist Pharmacy Mental health Help yourself Young people Therapy options Doctors Contact your doctor (GP) in the first instance for all medical issues. They will decide if you need to see a specialist and refer you for an appointment. In the UK you must register with your local NHS GP (National Health Service General Practitioner) practice as soon as possible. Do not wait until you are ill. Find your nearest doctor . If you are new to using the NHS (free National Health Service), start with this short guide: English version , Dari version *If you are an asylum seeker, with an active application or appeal, you are eligible and will need an HC2 card to access free care. This guide will help you understand our NHS services and entitlements for migrants. Back to top Dentist Dental health is important too. There is a shortage of free NHS dentists, so you should get on the waiting list for your local NHS dentist as soon as you can. Back to top Pharmacy In some cases, a pharmacist can help you. If you have common infections such as a sore throat, earache or infected insect bite, you can go to your local pharmacy and speak to the pharmacist for advice and medication. Alternatively you can call 111, which is a NHS service which will direct you to the best place to get help for your symptoms. Check here to see if your pharmacist can help. Back to top Mental health Problems sleeping, poor memory, lack of focus, anger, helplessness, low energy and flashbacks are some normal reactions to trauma. Know that you are not alone if you experience these. Contact your doctor for help. The first thing to do is make an appointment to see your GP. If you are feeling overwhelmed or suicidal or need to speak to someone immediately, there are people who can help. See below organisations offering 24/7 help, including some specifically for young people. Get help now Childline 24-hour confidential support up to age 19 PAPYRUS (9am-midnight) for young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide Back to top Help yourself Understanding trauma can really help - everyone responds in different ways. The charity Mind has some online resources which may help. Learn some practical tools to help feel better: Learn how to stop PTSD Nightmares with Dr Justin Havens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv38dzpcxfA Also available in Arabic: تعلمْ كيفيةَ إيقافِ كوابيسِ اضطرابِ ما بعدَ الصدمةِ مع د.جاستن هيفينز and Ukrainian: Дізнайтеся, як зупинити кошмари посттравматичного стресового розладу здоктором Джастіном Хейвенсом YouTube Video -Coping with scary and distressing memories | UK Trauma Council Back to top Resources for young people and adults The UK Trauma Council has lots of useful information in different languages which may help. You can also watch their video . Trauma from war and conflict: what’s difficult and what helps? This is a useful document, written by and for young people, which explains the symptoms experienced after war and trauma and also what may help. Practical tools for young people Here’s a list of free apps especially for young people which may be of use: https://www.good-thinking.uk/free-apps-for/apps-young-people . Find out more about free activities locally - visit our What’s on page for some ideas. Back to top Therapy options In the UK it's generally accepted that most people can benefit from professional therapy at some point in their life. Here are some useful links and services. Some are free or offer a discount for displaced people. Refer yourself to free NHS Talking Therapy - CBT online, counsellors 1-2-1 face to face or zoom usually 6-8 sessions. Waterloo Community Counselling - based in London but also on Zoom and FREE for refugees and asylum seekers. Trauma Response Network - if you feel ready to address some past trauma, they offer EMDR therapy which can be very effective. Therapy is only offered in English with up to eight sessions online. The Counselling Partnership - is an independent local community charity, based in Walton. The Kingston Women’s Centre - offers women-only counselling. Ask Hanna offers counselling and wellbeing support in Ukrainian. Surrey County Council has provided a FREE membership for Ukrainians. Please email contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk for details. It’s Complicated - offers Ukrainian speaking therapists and counselling, in person and online. You can also find a private therapist. All qualified therapists should be in this Counselling Directory . Here’s a full list of support services on offer in the county of Surrey. Still not sure about therapy? This short video may help: Absolutely Not - and other thoughts you might have about mental health support . Back to top

Jay recounts how she and her family fled Afghanistan under persecution and were given a safe home in Elmbridge. Jay's story Persecuted in Afghanistan for their religion, Jay and her husband had to make the difficult choice to leave their birth country to protect their family. She had no idea that she would end up in the UK. Theirs is a story of a long journey with tragic loss along the way, yet ultimate sanctuary and integration into Elmbridge, where they finally feel safe.

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.”

Our small staff team supports and underpins the work of our volunteers. Our team Our volunteers are - and always have been - the lifeblood of our organisation. We rely heavily on our team of nearly 100 talented volunteers, who come from all walks of life and bring diverse skills and experience. Since 2022 we have built a small staff team (currently 8 members of staff - approximately 5 FTE - led by our two co-directors) to support and underpin the work of our volunteers, most of whom work part-time. They are guided by a strong and committed trustee board.

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. You can also find us on:

Sign up to our newsletter for more information about the work of Elmbridge CAN Latest news Here you can read our latest newsletters, which we issue roughly once per quarter. You can register to receive future newsletters here . If you want to get informed about the bigger picture, head to our Get informed page . Our newsletters In our October 2025 newsletter we gave an update on the Big Give Christmas Challenge (our pledges have been matched with Champion Funding!) and on our work in 2025 so far. We also highlighted Hasina's Story . Our August 2025 newsletter called for your help: "we're eligible for Champion Funding from The Big Give this Christmas! That means any donation given to us between 2nd and 9th December 2025 will be match-funded and will give our charity the funding boost it needs. If someone donates £50 this December, Elmbridge CAN will get £100." In our June 2025 newsletter we focussed on: celebrating volunteers' week and our talented volunteers some simple ways you can contribute hosting opportunities In our March 2025 newsletter we gave an update on our work, and called on supporters to donate to our hardship fund. Our December 2024 newsletter featured: The story of three remarkable Syrian teenagers Feedback from our client survey An update on our ongoing collaboration with St George’s College, Weybridge In our September 2024 newsletter we covered: Our recent ‘culture kitchen’ event A second collaboration with Balfour Beatty, offering practical careers advice to Elmbridge CAN clients Our vacancy for a new Ukrainian integration worker Read our June 2024 newsletter to find out about: How we’ve been supporting young people as they work towards their all-important GCSE and A Levels Our co-director, Jeannie Tweedie’s interview on Greatest Hits local radio, as part of a piece marking World Refugee Day How a team of our volunteers transformed the garden of a resettled Afghan family Elmbridge CAN has been a great support to me... They have supported me financially and emotionally as well as helped with documents that are related to bills, hospitals, school etc. They have also helped me in finding a place to live and helped me with getting food and travel. I really appreciate their help as without them I would have been lost and homeless. PU

A story about students from Syria who Elmbridge CAN have supported Syrian students Ayram is 18 years old now, studying law at the University of Surrey in Guildford. It is a dream that once seemed impossible when she fled a burning Syrian refugee camp at the age of seven. Never far from her thoughts is Areej, her neighbour and best friend who never made it out of the camp. ‘Sometimes I feel like I am doing this for her,’ Ayram explains. ‘When we were together, we used to talk about schools because we had no education in the camps.” Ayram and her two sisters left their home in Damascus when the Syrian War became so intense in the city that their parents were left with no other option than finding a way out. ‘There was literally no choice for us,’ Ayram continues. ‘Originally, we thought it would be a few weeks of protest and everything would go back to normal. But people started dying in ground attacks around us and there were airstrikes and bombings, with buildings all around us collapsing. The family headed south and crossed the border into Jordan where they spent six weeks at the Zaatari Refugee Camp, which at one point was home to over 100,000 refugees. It was a brutal and overcrowded environment where nobody was safe. ‘The Syrian regime would send people to attack the camps. They would pretend to be refugees but then they would set fire to the camps. Our tent burnt but we managed to escape, as my dad was awake at the time and he got us all out. But Areej’s family next to us didn’t get out. It was a really hard thing to witness and I will never forget it.’ Mohammed, 19, and Ali, 18, are brothers from Kobani, close to Syria’s northern border with Turkey. The small city and its surrounding area came under attack from Islamic State in September 2014. The Siege of Kobani lasted for five months and had a devastating human impact, leading to over 300,000 Kurdish refugees being displaced to Turkey. Mohammed and Ali had left home with their mother and three other brothers in search of safety, several months before the IS attack. They joined their father in Erbil, Kurdistan, where he had found work in the construction industry. ‘It was emotional leaving our home, saying goodbye to our grandparents,’ Ali recalls. ‘We didn’t know if we’d see them again and now it’s been over 10 years since I’ve seen them.’ ‘We were lucky,’ Mohammed insists. ‘But all my cousins and their families struggled a lot. My grandparents still live in Kobani now. At the moment it is safe, but you can never really call it safe as you never know when something will start up again.’ Mohammed is studying accountancy and finance at Oxford Brookes University while Ali is taking a biomedical science degree at University of Westminster. Along with Ayram, they represent the successes of the Syrian resettlement programme and demonstrate what can be achieved with the right support network. Mohammed and Ali arrived in Surrey in August 2017 after spending three years in Kurdistan. After leaving Zaatari Refugee Camp, Ayram spent five years in Jordan, where her education suffered, before being resettled to the UK in March 2018. ‘We arrived at night and were so tired when we got here,’ Ayram says. ‘I remember falling asleep in the clothes I was wearing. I woke up the next day and looked out of the window and it had been snowing. I had never seen snow before. I just thought it would be like this a lot of the time, but it hasn’t snowed since!’ None of the new arrivals spoke English when they came to the country, but that soon changed. ‘When I first came here, I was doing a sort of sign language to socialise with people,’ Ayram adds. ‘Everyone was so nice, they wanted to help me understand. We used Google Translate sometimes. Everyone did their best to put me in a comfortable situation and that really helped. It made me think, “Okay, I’m not hated here”. I knew I could take my time to get it right, and within a year I could speak English.’ ‘When you are in a school with English people you catch on really quickly,’ Mohammed adds. ‘It was challenging being in a new country with new people but I’m quite a social person. I used to play every sport at school and then I played football out of school for Oxshott Royals as a left winger. I played with them for a few seasons and I met loads of people that way.’ ‘I have Elmbridge CAN to thank for all the help they gave us with homework,’ says Ali. ‘We were able to bring an adult translator in for the lessons at first. After school a volunteer called Carly helped me, tutoring me twice a week with chemistry and maths. Then Sue used to take us shopping because we didn't have a car, that was so helpful. They have so many volunteers who provide support.’ That assistance gave Ali the confidence to visit another school in Oxshott and give a charity talk to the other pupils about his journey from Syria, to Kurdistan and finally the UK. Education has opened up a new life to all three of them and that has not been something these young students have taken for granted. ‘Since I was little, I have always dreamed about going to university and having this amazing life’ Ayram continues. ‘When we went to Jordan, the Syrians there were not allowed to work so Mum and Dad could not continue their jobs. We had to survive off anything we could. Coming here, that whole dream of university returned. My dad has been able to work again too. I have always wanted to help people. Elmbridge CAN has played a big part in helping us so I want to give back to society and help. To be a human rights lawyer or an immigration lawyer would be great, to go around the world and help people. Some people can’t afford lawyers so I’d like to be able to help those who struggle. I can help in places where there is need, maybe even refugee camps one day.’ Ali hopes his degree will lead to a career in dentistry. He remembers his brothers having painful tooth extraction treatment without access to the right medical care before they came to the UK. Mohammed has always been good with numbers and is planning for a career as a chartered accountant in London. ‘At the beginning of uni when we had our ‘ice breakers’ chats and I told the other students I was from Syria they were surprised,’ Ayram reveals. ‘Some were saying, “Oh My God, what happened? Tell us your story.” Some people already knew quite a bit about what happened in Syria but others knew nothing at all. I like talking about it because it is part of my experience in life, and what happened drove me here.’ Ayram thinks back to her childhood conversations in the refugee camp and perhaps the biggest inspiration of all, her friend Areej. ‘We used to say, “We can go to school when we get out of here”. Education is my way to survive in this world. We dreamed about this, so I am doing this for me and for her.’