In March 2012, a London synagogue founded the Refugee Drop In, aiming to help refugees integrate into English life, providing a sense of family and familiarity. Due to its dedicated founders and volunteers, in 2019 the Drop In achieved 1,316 attendees. Celebrating their 10th anniversary last year, I interviewed one of the Drop In’s co-founders to learn about how it operates, its challenges, and its hopes for the future.
I wanted to know about the Drop In’s initial challenges, to which she responded that there were many. "One was letting people know what was happening, and finding clients who wanted to come. I think on our first day we only had one person, and then before we knew it we had about 80." She added that "we never knew how many people would come, so we didn’t know how many people to cater for."
The Drop In provides regular London outings. She told me that "I thought it would be great to introduce people to all these amazing free places. We gave everyone money for transport." Proudly, she listed the number of places they have visited. "We’ve been to the Royal Albert Hall a few times, to the Friendship Concerts. We’ve had visits to Buckingham Palace. The V&A is a really popular museum - a lot of people feel really at home there."
On the current cost of living crisis, she said the outings "give people confidence that this is their city, and that they have as much of a right to be here as anyone else."
She explained how Covid 19 was both a challenge and an opportunity. "We matched refugees with volunteers who would phone weekly, and realised how isolated people were. They didn’t have access to a TV, phone, or Zoom - things we took for granted. And the food prices went up for everyone." She concluded that "it was very significant, but it made us get to know everyone better."
She then told me how the Refugee Choir started. “We realised that a choir can be really inclusive. We have members of the congregation, refugees, everyone singing together. There’s always a concert in the pipeline, like the Christmas Concert this December."
She was passionate about combating the refugees' loneliness. "When they come to London or the UK as a refugee they aren’t coming as a tourist - they’re coming to survive. Once they are secure here, it can be really lonely."
I asked how the community responded to the Drop In, and she said "the synagogue gives us the venue for free. They are very committed to having it onsite." Whilst some were "wary" at the start, she emphasised that "they have been very welcoming, and are proud to be part of this."
Finally, I asked what she loved most about the Drop In: “It has to be the people. It’s not just a give and take - it’s a mutual thing. These are my friends really, I know them and they know me.”
