A weeklong programme of inclusive community events will be held in St Helens Borough as part of the world's largest arts, culture and sports festival celebrating refugees and people seeking sanctuary, Refugee Week (19th to 25th June)
The programme is held every year to highlight the contributions, creativity and resilience of displaced people, and this year features a grand Communities Together event in St Helens town centre, showcasing art, music, dance, food, workshops and performances, organised by St Helens Borough Council's Refugee Resettlement Service.
The Communities Together event will be held at Parish Church, Church Square from 11.00am to 5.00pm on Saturday 24th June.
The wider programme includes wellbeing walks, craft sessions, a hate crime awareness talk and a Persian film screening at Lucem House Community Cinema, as well as a friendly football match between resettled people and local community figures, with residents invited to cheer on both sides.
The match will be held at Ruskin Sports Village on Sunday 25 June, 2:30pm to 4:30pm and is free to attend.
To view the full programme of events, visit www.sthelens.gov.uk/RefugeeWeek
For Refugee Week's 25th anniversary communities are encouraged to celebrate what compassion looks like in action and to understand the need to be compassionate, not just to ourselves and those in our immediate circle but to everyone.
Councillor Mancyia Uddin, St Helens Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, said:
"Our borough has provided a home for many people seeking safety for themselves and their families and will continue to do so. But it's also vital that we all make efforts to show compassion and understanding, to further break down barriers between neighbours from different backgrounds.
"We hope that during Refugee Week, you'll join us in celebrating the resilience and contributions of those who come to our borough in the greatest need, and go the extra mile to learn about the different cultures of our neighbours that make up the fabric of our community."
Refugee Week features as part of St Helens' Borough of Culture events programme, with the full list of events at www.culturesthelens.co.uk.