Images of war-torn nations continue to dominate our newsfeeds, and natural disasters continue to leave whole communities homeless. Desperate mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, sons and daughters continue to pour into the U.K seeking refuge – a life where they can safely put food on the table. Only this morning I chatted to a Ukrainian lady at the cash desk in a coffee shop, and a Syrian lady at a tailor’s where I was having some alterations done. How wonderful that they can start to rebuild their lives here.

In 1920, my own grandfather fled from the Bolsheviks in Russia, and arrived by boat at the docks in Southampton without his parents. My Russian grandmother also escaped as a young girl, arriving a few years later.

It’s important for children to immerse themselves in refugee stories, so that they empathise with those recent arrivals sitting next to them on the bus or in the classroom, and welcome them. These stories familiarise children with the plight of refugees and the assistance they need, thus helping them grow up to be a compassionate generation. Continue reading →