On October 19th, Sunderland Minster hosted a fantastic family-friendly event attended by people from various communities, faiths, and backgrounds to celebrate the city and show solidarity in response to the riots on August 2nd. Rev Canon Clare McClaren, who also helped organize the festival, said they had been overwhelmed with support from people who wanted to get involved. Many community organizations had information stalls and people could enjoy delicious food and various activities, ranging from football skills, drumming workshops, dancing, music in the Minster, and a treasure hunt among others. The sun shone down and it was a special day, showing no place for hate in the city.
FODI had an information stall manned by manager Fanni, finance officer Maria and volunteer Jane. We displayed photos from the many activities provided by FODI, beautiful bags made by our sewing group, and information about our organization. We engaged with members of the public who asked questions about asylum seekers and refugees and how we help them. We felt it was crucial to dispel some of the misinformation about asylum seekers, so people get a better understanding of their situation, which hopefully will lead to improved community cohesion. We were heartened at people’s responses and had 2 people asking about volunteering opportunities with FODI, as well as making links with other community groups.
