Sevenoaks Welcomes Refugees

At the SWR Autumn Meeting on Wednesday 11 September, Tim Williams was confirmed as the new Chair of Sevenoaks Welcomes Refugees. Tim joined SWR as a Trustee (Key Partners) in March, and will take up the Chair role on 23 September. Tim has worked with a number of international NGOs in Africa and Asia, and for the UK Department for International Development where he worked in Whitehall and in countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. You can read more about Tim's background, and those of the other Trustees, on the About Us page of the SWR website.

Tomorrow evening (Tuesday 2nd July) we're holding our Summer Meeting (7:30 - 9:00 pm). We hold these meetings every 3 months as an opportunity for all volunteers, supporters and refugees in Sevenoaks District to get together. Here's the agenda: - Update on finances and budget - Update on refugees and volunteers - A participatory exercise to help shape SWR's values and vision - SWR contingency plan - Update on SWR events programme - Progress to date on the Strategic Review recommendations - AOB The venue is St Johns Hill United Reformed Church, St John's Road, Sevenoaks TN13 3LW. We hope that you can come along.

You are very warmly invited to SWR's Summer Meeting on Tuesday 2 July, 7:30 - 9:00 pm. The venue is St Johns Hill United Reformed Church, St John's Road, Sevenoaks TN13 3LW. We are very grateful to the team at St Johns Hill URC for hosting us. Here's the agenda: Update on finances and budget  Update on refugees and volunteers  A participatory exercise to help shape SWR's values and vision SWR contingency plan  Update on SWR events programme Progress to date on the Strategic Review recommendations AOB Please do come along if you can, and feel free to bring a friend with you.

Our Refugee Week activity this year is "Desperate Journeys" - an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of a refugee family travelling to an unknown future. Empathy Action’s immersive theatrical production will be proudly hosted by Sevenoaks Town Council at its site on Bradbourne Vale Road (TN13 3QG) in partnership with Sevenoaks Welcomes Refugees. Four performances of the experience are available: Sunday 16 June (5:00 pm and 7:00 pm), Wednesday 19 June (7:00 pm) and Friday 21 June (7:00 pm). For more information and FREE tickets go to: https://lnkd.in/ecK6PmDD

The small SWR comms team is looking for a couple of people to help with Mailchimp newsletters/updates. We aim to do a monthly newsletter, and occassional updates as required. Upcoming team changes make this a priority. Previous experience required. If you - or someone you know - are interested, please contact volunteers@sevenoakswelcomesrefugees.org for a chat, or reply here on LinkedIn. Thank you!

We are looking to fill three particularly important volunteer roles in the SWR team - please read the role descriptions on the Vacancies page of the SWR website (https://lnkd.in/ecqE6b2x). If they're not right for you, please help by sharing this with people you think might be suitable and interested. The SWR network reaches far and wide! Secretary: The Secretary plays a crucial role in supporting the Trustees and ensuring compliance with legal and governance requirements. This position is responsible for maintaining accurate records, facilitating effective communication, and supporting overall organisational efficiency. Fundraising Lead: The Fundraising Lead will develop and execute strategies to generate income from diversified streams, ensuring long-term, sustainable growth. The role involves building partnerships, fostering supporter relationships, and enhancing understanding of the impact of donations on SWR's mission. Communications Lead: The Communications Lead will be a ‘player’ in, and also the conductor of, a small comms team which currently consists of 4 regular volunteers and 6 occasional volunteers. Our main communication channels are the website, social media, quarterly meetings, newsletters and events. To read all 3 role descriptions please visit the Vacancies page on the SWR website: (https://lnkd.in/ecqE6b2x).

We can now announce that with your support we raised the fantastic sum of £10,034 from our big fundraiser day at The Stag Theatre on Saturday 27 April, a Mayor's Fundraising Event. This is the largest amount we have ever generated from a fundraising event and we are so grateful for your amazing support!