Newark and Sherwood praised for work resettling Syrian Refugees

The work by officers and volunteers from Newark and Sherwood District Council was highly commended at a national awards ceremony in London.

Officers and volunteers from Newark and Sherwood District Council and partner organisations from the Newark and Sherwood Resettlement Partnership received the accolade in London last night (Wednesday, June 26).

Judges in the Municipal Journal Achievement Awards 2019 Transforming Lives category praised how the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement (SVPR) programme had been implemented in the district, commending the strong partnership work, passion and innovation of those involved.  

The district council has worked particularly closely with community and voluntary sector partners including Home Start, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum, the Furniture Project, Support for Syrian Refugees in addition to other statutory partners.

The council’s Business Manager for Housing, Health and Community Relations, Leanne Monger, said: “I am so proud and honoured to work with such amazing people and absolutely delighted that our partnership work has been highly commended. It recognises the hard work, dedication, enthusiasm and warmth of the partnership in transforming the lives of people who have experienced the most traumatic of circumstances and how the local community has embraced and welcomed these families with open arms and open minds.

“The refugees that we have helped to resettle are the most vulnerable of families, all with very young children who arrived with very few belongings, having lived in conditions we could not even imagine in western society. They have a new life now and are so keen to make a contribution to society and become part of the community here in Newark and Sherwood.”

The Newark and Sherwood Resettlement Partnership was set up to provide the necessary, dedicated support that met the needs of each refugee family which included providing suitable housing in safe neighbourhoods, support to develop English skills to aid integration and provide a pathway to suitable employment, allowing them to achieve future independence and brighter futures.