Members of the Alstonville Community Supporter Group (ACSG) and local volunteers are sew excited about the impending arrival of the town’s first refugees they are stitching a vibrant welcome banner.
The group recently held a sewing bee to begin creating a unique Australian-themed banner they hope to unfurl early next year.
Hosted by the Alstonville Anglican Church, the gathering was abuzz with sewing machines and eager sewers, who combined their creative efforts.
“It’s wonderful to volunteer with this group from our small community to help change the lives of two young people and to give them hope,” said volunteer Sue Snelgrove.
The ACSG is supporting a professional Afghan couple seeking permanent Australian residency under the skilled refugee resettlement program Talent Beyond Boundaries. As members of the Hazara minority, the couple has endured persecution and hardship since the Taliban seized control of their homeland in 2021 and were forced to live in exile in Iran.
Northern Rivers For Refugees has provided a significant financial contribution and support for the settlement of the couple.
Securing full-time employment in the Northern Rivers has given the man and his wife a lifeline, and the prospect of a safe future.
“Our group is committed to meeting the practical and emotional needs of the couple as they settle into Australian life,” said ACSG convenor Sue Milne. “Our community will be all the richer for their presence and we invite the people of Alstonville to warmly welcome them.”
The ACSG will be organising community events in coming months to coincide with the couple’s arrival. It welcomes financial and in-kind support for the pair, who will arrive with little more than a suitcase.
A strong volunteer network is developing to help support their accommodation, personal and transport needs. For more information or to lend a hand please email.
