REFUGEE WEEK: Green Bridge Community Housing spotlights power of kindness in Yorkshire
It tackled myths head-on and sparked honest conversations, bringing together residents, staff, service users and civic leaders to highlight both the challenges and contributions of refugees across the region.
A day of celebration was held at GBCH’s offices in Burngreave, Sheffield, where around 70% of its service users are refugees.
A special guest was the Mayor of Rotherham, Coun Rukhsana Ismail JP.
GBCH, deeply rooted in the community with a team that lives and works locally, has long been providing safe, secure housing and wrap around support to those starting over in the UK.
The message of the day was clear: refugees are more than statistics – they’re neighbours, workers, parents, volunteers, and a vital part of the fabric of our communities.
GBCH works with partners to provide safe, secure accommodation and support programmes that address both immediate and long-term needs.
As an organisation rooted in diversity and the community - with many team members both living and working locally - GBCH has long understood the real needs of refugees behind the headlines.
The event was not only a time to celebrate resilience of refugees living in the area, but also to challenge widespread misconceptions.
Stephanie Trent, Support Services Manager of GBCH said: “We thought it would be a humble, little event but actually loads of people came and it was really successful.”
When communities work together, that’s when misconceptions are challenged and those misplaced attitudes towards people get dispelled.
One misconception the event directly addressed is the belief that refugees take jobs away from UK citizens.
Refugee Week event was about celebrating stories
Said Stephanie: “It’s simply not true. Only 32% of refugees are in employment, even though 77% want to work. Barriers like language, lack of references, and the inability to transfer qualifications make it incredibly difficult. Refugees are also more likely to be exploited for labour due to their barriers to legitimate employment”
Another persistent myth - that the UK is overwhelmed by refugees - was similarly dismantled. In reality, said Stephanie, the UK hosts just 1% of the global refugee population, with most displaced people staying in neighbouring countries.
At the event GBCH also highlighted the idea that refugees drain public services. In fact, it said, less than 0.2% of UK public spending goes to support refugees.
The event wasn’t just about statistics.
It was about stories, and celebrating them.
A certificate ceremony, attended by the Mayor, honoured individual achievements and underlined the organisation’s commitment to support, not just shelter.
One woman was honoured for finally reuniting with her family after years of setbacks, and never giving up.
Others were recognised for language learning, passing their driving tests, and starting businesses - including a former service user now employed by GBCH as a contractor.
How to support in the future
Said Stephanie: “We're really proud of their achievements. Green Bridge isn't just about housing it’s about the support that you get with it.
“Those people who received certificates, we felt that they really deserved that recognition because of all the hard work that they put in and the goals they achieved.”
British values - often misrepresented - were reframed during the event as democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance.
Said Stephanie: “These are values we live by and pass on to our service users even at a smaller scale in the accommodation. We want refugees to feel welcome, empowered and part of the community.
“Yes, we have culture clashes and things like that. But we encourage cohesion. We’re a really diverse group of people and that really matters to us.”
Your everyday person is good and kind. And actually, if people they take the time to get to know each other as a member of a community, you know we’d have a much happier society.
As for the future? The team hopes to grow its work – including a new interpreter project – and welcomes new applicants, volunteers, and collaborators.
Anyone wanting to offer support, or to keep up to date with the work of Green Bridge, can contact them here at GBCH.
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