We’re here for everyone in and around Penrith, all people of minoritised ethnic and migrant background and the whole community. We’re a place of inclusion and emancipation.
We provide a space where people can talk about individual issues to enable them to try to find solutions to issues such as bullying at school, housing problems, difficult neighbours, hate crimes and racism. We can also connect people with services they may need such as English language courses, the job centre or the council.
Our values include ‘empowering’ and ‘enabling’, and we work to educate ourselves and others about ‘white savourism’ and what it means to be anti-racist.
Another value is ‘promoting the world family’ and we connect local communities and celebrate different nationalities – Afghan, Bangladeshi, Chinese, English, Eritrean, Polish, Syrian, Ukrainian, and many others.
Befriending is a big part of what we do – welcoming newcomers to Penrith and supporting them in navigating life in the UK.
If you, or someone that you work with or know, would like to know more about connecting with Penrith Welcomes Diversity, please click here to get in touch with Claudi, our Community Outreach Officer.
English Club
Come along to English Club and meet other people for conversation and friendship. Our Club meets on Wednesdays from 10.30am to 12 noon at Penrith Library. We share stories, have discussions, play games and music, and get to know each other. We also have social events, such as walks around Penrith and activities for families. The Club is free, friendly and relaxed. You don’t have to attend every week – just come when you can. We look forward to seeing you there.
Creative Activities @ BlueJam Arts CIC
We run regular creative groups with BlueJam Arts CIC, some supported by the ‘Eden Arts and Culture Development Fund.’ BlueJam provides an inclusive space for expression, for celebrating your own culture and other cultures through painting, music and crafts and other activities.
Art for Wellbeing workshops are central to this. We meet on Thursdays from 10.30am to 12 noon at BlueJam Arts. The activities are free, friendly and relaxed. You don’t have to attend every week – just come when you can.
We also run family art workshops with BlueJam on Saturday mornings from 10:30am until 12pm. Places are free for Penrith Welcomes Diversity guests. All are welcome.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Claudi started to lead PERN’s Welcoming Diversity activities in July 2022.
As well as coordinating the English Club, and working with BlueJam Arts to create activities and exhibitions which focus on valuing all cultures and ethnicities, she is someone people can talk to 1-2-1 about individual issues.
Claudi encourages people to be independent. She can connect people with services they may need such as English language courses, the job centre or the council. She talks with people to enable them to try to find solutions to issues such as bullying at school, housing problems or difficult neighbours. She believes in empowering everyone towards emancipation.
Through the activities she organises, she also brings together the many different communities and nationalities living in Penrith. She says ‘Our ethos is that everything we do is for everyone, all nationalities and cultures and backgrounds have equal value and everyone is welcome. It is amazing to support the group and see them flourish in so many ways. We work for people and with them’.
For over 20 years, Claudi has been active in organising community groups, a local food bank, running clinics for parents with low incomes, and leading practical training courses. A large part of her work involved carrying out home visits, attending family and school meetings, and ensuring that vulnerable and marginalised people were able to maintain contact with the community, the statutory social service network and local partner networks.
As well as community support activities in South America and the UK, Claudi has experience of working in the Middle East. She has a BA Honours in Social Service, is active in Anti-Racist Cumbria, and has completed the Phoenix Way coaching course. Her approach promotes racial equality and racial justice through educating people about racism and its impact on society and communities. She is passionate about human rights, and about connecting communities.
