Category: PERN News

Joyful, nerdy geeks wanted to support asylum seekers in navigating Home Office procedures  Every asylum seeker must make a formal application to the Home Office for refugee status. Volunteers can give a helping hand to guide people through the process and help asylum seekers use the multi-language toolkit www.righttoremain.org.uk  We don’t give legal advice, but understanding… Continue reading Volunteer opportunities

We are delighted to welcome Claudi Hayward to a new role at PERN – Community Outreach Officer. One of Claudi’s tasks will be to explore setting up a Women’s Group, and she will also research relevant learning/ training needs of people for whom English is an additional language, and find and connect with possible providers. Another important… Continue reading Community Outreach Officer

Over the past few weeks, several hundred refugees and people seeking asylum have moved to Cumbria. PERN members and other people who already live in Cumbria are actively welcoming and supporting the newcomers. We welcome this demonstration of empathy and compassion – it is what we do and who we are. However, there is a… Continue reading Asylum seekers and refugees in our community

We are looking for a friendly, nurturing, organised volunteer to relaunch and coordinate this group. The group meets weekly in Penrith library to support anyone wanting to improve their English, however shy or confident they feel. The group provides an informal environment for speaking English and making friendships.  If you like to be empathetic and… Continue reading Penrith English Conversation Volunteer Role

Rural Highlights brings Tickbox to Penrith at 7.30pm on Saturday 9 April. It’s a one-hour, semi-autobiographical, one-woman play in Scots-English and Urdu, which combines theatre, storytelling, and comedy to interweave the journeys of two Scottish Pakistani women.  Please join us for a PERN social after the show, where there will be an informal chat with Lubna and… Continue reading One-woman Show and PERN Social -9 April

Please come along to the Alhambra cinema in Penrith at 17.45 to watch Flee, and join PERN members in the Fell bar afterwards at 52 King St, Penrith, CA11 7AY. Based on the true story of a child refugee’s journey from Afghanistan to Denmark, Flee is described as ‘a masterful blend of animation and documentary,… Continue reading Film and social on Sunday 27 March

We’re holding a Vigil for Peace on Saturday 19 March from 11am to noon. We will gather in Christ Church grounds (CA11 9EL) under the cherry tree. For part of the vigil we will hold silence, at other times we will offer music, readings and song. Vigil for Peace

The events unfolding in Ukraine are bringing home the horror of war, this time in Europe.  Tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees are pouring over borders into western Europe.Countries like Poland and Ireland are waiving visa requirements and allowing them free passage – but not the UK.  PERN supports the rights of all refugees and… Continue reading Refugee Crisis: Ukraine

SHOW THE LOVE – Do you want to show your love and support to refugees this February 14th?   Send your MP a card with a twist this Valentines Day!    Call on your MP to have compassion for refugees, oppose the terrible Nationality and Borders Bill and vote in favour of two very important… Continue reading PERN News – Send your MP a Valentine’s Day card with a twist

CALL TO ACTION on #AntiRefugeeBill  We have now put together TWO LETTERS which we ask YOU to complete and SEND to your local MP and the Bishop of Carlisle who sits in the Lords, where the Bill will soon be considered, asking them to vote AGAINST the #AntiRefugeeBill  The letter for the MP attached is addressed to… Continue reading Latest PERN News – Write to your MP and Bishop #antirefugeebill