Dinner celebrates volunteers

Last month Business and Professional Women Franklin held a special candle lighting dinner for volunteer’s week and international day of refugees.

Heidi Cripps of the Red Cross, who spoke at the dinner, helps refugees to reach their potential by easing their way into life in New Zealand.

Former refugee Fakhria Sharifi joined Cripps at the dinner and spoke about the time she left her homeland at the age of four and her arrival in New Zealand.

Sharifi now helps new refugees with her knowledge and experiences of New Zealand life.

Volunteers like Jan Arthurs Schoppe help refugees with the initial daily life skills, and the Red Cross is always looking for more people to help in this area.

Volunteers are given training and then are assigned to a family and initially visit dally.

Jo Atkinson volunteers through English Language Partners and usually spends one hour per week helping with English language, reading and writing.

English Language Partners offer free language teaching to any refugees or immigrants and can be contacted at 09 278 9099.

To help refugees adjust to life in New Zealand life contact heidi.cripps@redcross.org.nz .

This month the Franklin BPW host a dinner with Dame Silvia Cartwright as their guest speaker.