Warwickshire refugee pays tribute to community support

Abdulrahman Zakaria, originally from Syria, moved to Warwickshire with his family last June

A refugee who fled Syria has spoken of the support from the local community after resettling in Warwickshire.

Since arriving with his family in June 2022, Abdulrahman Zakaria said local residents had helped arrange schooling and healthcare, as well as supporting him to set up his own IT business.

He said they had also helped him and his family improve their English.

"They make the hard things easier," he said, adding that his neighbours had also been "very friendly".

"Here when we came, we feel like we are very safe," he added.

Across the UK, more than 1,000 refugees have been supported by community sponsorship, which involves local groups directly helping people to resettle.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said the scheme, which opened in 2016, had offered the "best prospect" of integration.

He said the UK was one of a "few countries" that allowed local communities to help settle those "directly at risk in conflict zones" around the world.

Julia Fitzsimons, from Warwickshire Circle of Friends, said the group had helped the family to integrate

Mr Zakaria had spent the previous 10 years living in Egypt while waiting for resettlement in the UK, having been referred by the UN Refugee Agency.

He described how the family had escaped from the war in Syria to find a "good life".

Under the Home office scheme, eligible refugees are assessed for their need for resettlement, before being matched with sponsor groups.

Community groups are also asked to raise £9,000 to support resettlement and integration needs.

Julia Fitzsimons and other members of community group Warwickshire Circle of Friends have been supporting Mr Zakaria since his arrival.

"We found the house and provided the furnishing for that," she said.

"We can link them with the school, we've helped them to work out how to go to the doctors, the shops - so we are friends here, but also good neighbours."