Our Refugee Week 2026: Nicola's Story
On Monday I visited my local primary school with two classes of 5 year olds. We started off talking about Paddington - a refugee story - and the kind things people do to make him feel welcome, and how proud we are of him. From there the children thought about times they'd been somewhere new, and what kindness had meant to them.
“I asked a room full of 5 year olds about being brave and the importance of making people feel welcome, and they had a better answer than most grown ups I've met”.
They started with Paddington - a bear who arrived with nothing but a label round his neck asking people to look after him. They talked about how brave he is, how proud they are of him, and how happy they are that he found safety here. Then we read about a girl who walked into a new classroom not knowing a single person, and they knew exactly how that felt and what simple acts we can all do to make someone feel welcome. They completely got it. They know what is kind and haven't yet been taught not to be.
We then read The Girl at the Front of the Class and finished by watching What is a Refugee? The questions that followed were inspiring: why did they have to leave? How brave must you be? Why isn't everyone met with kindness? It was a little emotional, more so, if honest, for the adults in the room.
The two classes are now making bunting and a mural for a joint display, and each child went home with TFSW's "migration is life" stickers and Quentin Wilson's illustrations of the simple acts that bring communities together.
At the beginning of the week, I also attended the All In Disco, a safe and courageous dancefloor, bringing people of all backgrounds together in the same room, which is exactly the point of Refugee Week. I'm ending the week with yoga on the beach in my home town, dedicated to the themes of courage, community and inclusion, with free spaces for people with experience of forced displacement. Reconnecting with your body and breath has a huge role in recovery from traumatic experiences that can leave us feeling unsafe. It feels like the right note to end on: movement, stillness, and being welcome exactly as you are.
Huge thanks to Cornwall Refugee Resource Network and everyone making events happen this week across Cornwall, from Bude to Penzance. This is what choosing a different story looks like. Simple acts.
