A week of activities began with a performance from two young adult Syrian refugees playing traditional music which enthralled many of our pupils. Students engaged with talks from The Epsom and Ewell Refugee Network and Donate4Refugees, Upper 5 built refugee shelters, pupils from across the School took part in assemblies highlighting the refugee struggles, and ten colleagues took part in Concern Worldwide’s Ration Challenge.
Eating only refugee rations for a week — 1.92kg of rice, 400g of flour, 170g of lentils, 85g of chickpeas, 400g of kidney beans, 120g of tinned sardines (or tofu) and 330ml of oil — Freemen’s staff have so far raised £5,661.54 to help bring emergency food, healthcare and life-saving support to the people who need it most and ‘Make a Difference’.
To further raise awareness, the Freemen’s Music Partnership programme has focussed on the plight of refugees around the world this term. Over 200 children from three local primary schools, along with pupils at Freemen’s, have taken part in the Music Partnership collaboration, ‘One World To Share’ by Caroline Hoile, written for Refugee Week. In addition to performing the song, all four schools in the Music Partnership have been finding out more about the refugee crisis and what we can do to help.
Thank you to everyone who has generously donated to this important cause, we hope that together we have made a difference to those in need.