Refugee sewing group offering friendship and skills

Fatimire Ibrohimi has been sewing since she was a girl and now taught others in the group

Refugees said a sewing group, where they could learn new skills and improve their English, was like a family.

The charity Suffolk Refugee Support established the group in Ipswich almost three years ago.

It met weekly during school term time with women, from countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Kurdistan, all coming together to make new friendships.

Sarah Cole, 59, and Shakiba Alizadeh, 39, who helped run the group said it was rewarding to be a part of.

Sarah Cole (left) and Shakiba Alizadeh (right) run the sewing group together

"I think it's really nice because in a lot of the other English settings they come to they're always on the backfoot, whereas here lots of them are brilliant at sewing," Ms Cole said.

"They teach each other, it's relaxed, we speak a lot of English, we have English speaking classes and it's fun."

Ms Cole helped set up the group after Rebecca Crerar, who runs the charity, came to her with the idea.

While the group has just finished up for the summer holidays, It usually met on Friday morning in the NW2 space at New Wolsey Theatre on Civic Drive.

Some members created traditional dresses

Ms Alizadeh also helped settle new refugees into the area.

She said the sewing group was "so helpful" for new arrivals so they could socialise and learn English.

"It's a way to improve their language which is so helpful," she said.

"They like the group and they enjoy attending."

Ms Cole added the group was a way to help people get outside as many are often nervous to leave when first arriving.

"They can come, feel at home, and do something they've done since they were a child," she said.

"I think people learn more quickly when they are relaxed and happy.

"Mental health is a big problem - in the population in general, but it is also for people who have arrived."

The group created different items including modern dresses to more traditional items

The group has several sewing teachers who are refugees themselves and volunteer their time such as Fatimire Ibrohimi, Lajward Sadiq and Kandi Noorgildi.

Ms Ibrohimi, 44, from Kosovo has been sewing since she was a little girl and said she enjoyed teaching and making things.

"I have made dresses, bags, cushions," she explained.

"A dress nearly takes me a day - if the machine is good it's one day, if the machine is not good it's two days."

Meena Nouri could not sew before she came to the group but used it to learn and meet new people

Meena Nouri, 23, came to Ipswich three years ago from Afghanistan.

She said she could not sew but was now able to make "everything" after attending the group for the past two years.

"I'm very, very happy to be a part of it," she said.

"It's good for my English conversation and I can make some clothes.

"I started with bags but now I can make a dress which was my hope.

"It's like a family, everyone is really kind and they help me."

The sewing group will resume meeting after the summer holidays

Another woman, who wished to remain anonymous, has been in Ipswich for the past eight years after arriving from Kurdistan in Iraq.

She joined the group a year ago after her friends mentioned it to her.

The group has taught her how to sew and she can now make clothes, bags, hats, scarves and gloves.

"It's amazing for social relationships," she said.

"Every week I'll come here, even some weeks where I'm really busy I'll spend [my time] here."

She added how much she loved living in Ipswich and did not wish to ever leave.

"Sometimes my husband and friends suggest we go to other cities like Manchester or London but I can't leave [Ipswich]," she explained.

"This is like a family, I can't leave my family.

"I'm thankful for the support from this place, it's a big emotional support for people."

Suffolk New College's Imogen Fraser said working with the group in the fashion show was rewarding

The group's work was used during the charity's 25th anniversary celebrations.

A fashion show and party in collaboration with students from Suffolk New College was held at Dance East on the Ipswich Waterfront.

Imogen Fraser is a performing arts lecturer at the college who specialises in dance and worked with the sewing group for the event along with her colleague Kelly Fletcher.

"It's just lovely seeing all the different cultures working together, with not necessarily language being the common theme, but the clothing and music bringing us together," said Ms Fraser.

"The collaboration between performing arts department at Suffolk New College and the sewing group has been really enriching.

"It's something that kind of fell in our lap - if Sarah hadn't contacted us we would never have known it existed."

Anyone wishing to contact Suffolk Refugee Support is encouraged to do so via their website.