The Friend Ship set sail to continue the work with refugees and asylum seekers which I started on my trip to Athens with my Every Life Matters project.

 

The Friend Ship aims to promote understanding and welcome through the arts for people forced to migrate, specifically those now living in Norwich, supporting the work of Norwich City of Sanctuary.

​

The project launched with an exhibition of work produced by Norwich school children and displaced people, during Refugee Week 2017.  This exhibition is now carrying on its journey touring libraries throughout Norfolk to spread the message of welcome for displaced people and all immigrants.

​

The Friend Ship was a volunteer run group using the arts to address important social issues:

• organising skill sharing arts workshops, exhibitions and events to empower displaced people (refugees and asylum seekers) to reclaim their voice, have fun, make new friends and feel a part of their new home

• encouraging integration between communities to dispel prejudice, celebrate cultural diversity and common humanity (New research shows a single founding population appeared in Africa 200,000 years ago who then migrated to form new communities across the globe. We are all descended from migrants of this original tribe.)

• running workshops for schools to raise awareness with young people of the power of art to inspire change and promote global human connection

• treating others the way we would like to be treated, with dignity, respect and the opportunity to live a peaceful, safe life

​

We have now completed various projects including:

Postcards for Peace where hundreds of 6x4” postcards, in different artistic mediums, were produced on workshops with schools and displaced people at New Routes and Norwich International Youth Project working with Norfolk artists, as well as being sent in by members of the public and artists globally. We received our first postcard from a Syrian artist now living in Athens. Outcomes included:

• An exhibition during Makers Month at The Forum, Norwich March/April 2018

• Given to 600 displaced children living in the UK in collaboration with charity The Children's Society and The Refugee Council

• Given to 50 Syrian families now living in Norwich

• Shared electronically with displaced children living in refugee camps in Gaza in collaboration with the charity Hope and Play

• Giving funds raised to charities providing aid to displaced people in Norwich and globally, including Help Refugees

​

The HumaniTea Party where workshops produced work by Norwich International Youth Project and Norfolk artists for an installation during Refugee Week 2019 of a table with place settings to represent local and global refugees and migrants to raise awareness of 'who is a refugee?'

​

The Butterfly Effect where hundreds of fabric butterflies were made with teenagers at Latitude Festival, Norwich Schools of Sanctuary, STAR students at UEA and community groups. Messages of hope and solidarity were embroidered onto the wings and butterflies were given to detainees in UK immigration detention centres to show them they have not been forgotten. 

​

For more information on these projects

​