Lots going on at our busy Chichester drop-ins at the moment! Last week, a University of Chichester PhD student spent the afternoon talking and working with some of the women, using acrylic markers to decorate pebbles with insects or whatever they liked, with some fantastic results. She is working on a three-year research project into the effect of nature-based projects on refugees and wellbeing, and she is coming to drop-in sessions from time to time to run adults’ craft activities and have conversations with participants about the external environment. She is also visiting our allotment and engaging with refugees on how working outside, growing things through the seasons and socialising with others there, is beneficial for their mental health.

The children continue to create and express themselves through drawing, colouring and painting as well as playing games such as Uno. Now that the weather is improving and we’re getting sunny afternoons, the older children are going outside and ejoying kicking a ball around. Ben from Westgate Leisure Centre has also offered to come and do some outdoor activities with the children, so we will look forward to seeing him back again soon.

Over in Bognor, grown-ups continue to enjoy using sewing materials on one table, and adult colouring books with crayons and felt tips on another. There’s also a table for those who want to practice and improve their English using a variety of picture cards, games and writing with one of our volunteers.

For the children, there is always the ever-popular Play-Doh and puzzles inside, and active play in the garden using the playhouse slide and sand pit. Volunteers needed to supervise at all times, as children’s mothers are understandably deeply engrossed in conversation with each other.

We had English, Dari, French, Arabic and Polish speakers at the last session. There was a lovely moment when Refugee Support Coordinator Anouar met a Palestinian beneficiary who had been a regular at Drop-in but has not been recently. They were able to speak together in their own language – it became quite emotional!