AFTER some initial difficulties securing a lease the group has been successful securing a lease of a two bedroom flat. The flat is a short drive from the parish and very handy to public transport, shops and services.
A team of volunteers from the group lead by Anne worked tirelessly last weekend to get the flat ready. Some from the group cleaned, made minor repairs, collected, delivered and organised furniture and other house hold essentials.
By last Sunday afternoon all was ready and the refugee family was able to move family into their new home.
Anne and Robert Stewart collected the family and their belongings from the emergency accommodation where they have been staying for the last couple of months (courtesy of Sr Brigid and the Brigidine Asylum Seeker Project) and brought them to their new home.
Their faces lit up to see the fully furnished flat. They were very grateful and very happy to have a secure place to live. We left them to organise the flat to their tastes with the promise of a follow up visit later in the week.
Our family are expecting a baby late next month and Rebecca has coordinated an “on call” roster for volunteers to be available to drive the family to the hospital when the time comes.
Ilse Spillane is coordinating a “baby things” collection at St Bridget’s primary school where the principal, Michelle Verner, has been very enthusiastic in offering the support of the school to assist in the care of the asylum seeker family.
Please pray that the parish’s work in seeking to respond to Pope Francis’s call for parishes to take in refugees continues to be successful.
If you are interested in being involved or in assisting in other ways please contact Robert by email.