Further to the article posted on Monday (see below) the Council has published the following notice:
Spelthorne is pleased to confirm that 58 Afghan refugees, including 10 women and 38 children, arrived in the Borough to move into temporary accommodation, after the successful completion of their quarantine period. This accommodation is being funded by the Home Office, while Councils across the region assist them in providing a longer-term solution.
The Council is extremely grateful to residents across the Borough, partners including our foodbanks and Council staff for their generosity in asking how they can help and make donations to support these refugees. Our guests are being provided with appropriate catering and each of them has been provided with a welcome pack, which has been translated for them.
We are currently assessing what support each of them will need in terms of donations, such as clothing, which would need to be new or nearly new and clean, and we will look to provide details on how you can support them in the coming days.
We would also like to acknowledge and thank the charity Penny Appeal for generously assisting the Council by providing funds to assist with purchasing clothing, toys, educational items and travelcards.
Cllr Lawrence Nichols, Leader of the Council, said: "On behalf of Spelthorne residents, I want to extend a warm welcome to our guests. I am humbled by the offers of help we have had from Spelthorne residents and partners and I want to thank everyone who has got in touch. The Family Support team are working with these refugees and are establishing what support they need, and we will update you when we can on how best you can help."
