Refugees to cook up taste of Middle East for festival

THE Whitaker will be hosting refugees this week to cook Middle Eastern picnic foods for Rossendale Friendship Festival.

The free festival for all residents on Sunday, June 23 is a celebration for UK Refugee Week, which celebrates the contribution of refugees to the UK, and aims to encourage a better understanding between communities.

The recorded number of refugees in Rossendale since 2015 has gone from zero to 144 due to changes in Government policy.

This can mean refugees in the borough can be very isolated, sometimes with no-one in the same town who shares the same language and culture.

Women from Syria, Egypt, Iraq and Kuwait will be preparing picnic food. ●● Women from Syria, Egypt, Iraq and Kuwait are getting together at The Whitaker, Rawtenstall, to cook several hundred portions of Middle Eastern picnic foods for sampling by residents of Rossendale. Pictured at the recent event planning meeting

As well as food sampling, the festival will see live music and dancing, and lots of free entertainment for children, including bouncy castle, juggling, face painting, henna painting and much more.

Visitors are invited to picnic in the park or try the ‘festival plates’ available for purchase.

Children from several Valley schools have also participated in an art competition on the topic ‘Friendship’.

At the festival the entries will be on display and the competition winners will be announced.

Heather Mullins, Rossendale council’s lead for refugee work, said: “It has been very impressive to hear how refugees sent to Rossendale are already contributing to life in the valley. We are hoping for sunshine on Sunday and for as many people as possible to come along and enjoy the festival and meet some of the valley’s newest residents.”

Volunteers including refugees from six different countries have worked hard to plan the festival alongside local volunteers and staff from The Whitaker in Rawtentall and many will be volunteering on the day itself, as well as spending the day cooking on Friday.

Musicians and stallholders are contributing for free and organisations have rallied round with support.