Thank you to the generous people of Kendal and beyond who have donated to this Community Sponsorship Scheme which is resettling a family under the Home Office's UK Resettlement Scheme. Some of our donations have come outside of the JustGiving page. We are continuing to fundraise as costs are likely to be in excess of the minimum that the Home Office stipulate.

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Kendal Open Door is raising money to help a refugee family come to Kendal. We came together because we wanted to do something for families we had seen on television fleeing conflict and persecution. Many families face the choice of moving from one vulnerable situation to another or bringing up children in refugee camps. We wanted to do something practical to help.

So we are applying to the Home Office through the Community Sponsorship scheme to resettle a family. The family will already have refugee status but will be waiting for a place in this country.

Under this scheme, we need to raise at least £9,000 before the Home Office grant final approval to our application. We'll then be expected to use the money to cover immediate expenses after the family arrives and ongoing expenses over the following year or two.

Some examples of how the money will be spent are :

Furnishing and buying equipment for the house

Warm and waterproof clothing on arrival

Interpreter costs

English lessons

Retraining needed to get a job

We are aiming to help the family become independent as quickly as possible and we are there to help them integrate and resettle in our lovely town. We have a history of welcoming refugees in Cumbria from the Windermere children onwards and we want to continue that proud tradition.

Any and every amount donated will be welcome. Thank you so much.

To find out more see our website Kendal Open Door