Course of action: Georgeanne Lamont & Diana Lampen

‘We explored sources of hope.’

It is proper that most of the money donated to helping refugees and asylum seekers benefits them directly; but this means there is little provision for the needs of those who provide that help. They are often isolated, stressed, and suffering from unfeeling and shifting official policies. They are sometimes close to burnout. From 2017, Quaker Peace & Social Witness arranged a series of three retreats at Charney Manor for them, drawing on money from the Elizabeth Brown Legacy. We were asked to lead these programmes. The money was used up, but the needs and demand continued, so we decided in faith to arrange another one last year, which was fully booked and funded by individuals and two trusts. Participants came from projects in France, Greece and Britain; some had been asylum seekers themselves. Here is one typical response:

‘My name is Caroline and I have led the Refugee Women’s Centre in Northern France since 2016. I have attended the Charney retreats since 2017, and they have provided invaluable spaces for me. The first retreat I joined was like a lighthouse in my agenda. I was very tired and at the time, very little mental health support existed in northern France for frontline workers, built on an understanding of everything that the missions entailed. Arriving in Charney was magical: having my own bedroom in a beautiful manor, enjoying the company of like-minded people and sharing common challenges and best practice, benefiting from mindfulness exercises, and having nourishing warm meals. While the weekend was short and flew by, it charged up my batteries and created a new network of friends and colleagues that has been very supportive ever since… These encounters enabled me to gain a much-needed understanding of the work we do in a Europe-wide context, so as to not get completely lost in the frustrations of the local levels on which we operate. Subsequent retreats enabled me to build on those relationships and create new ones, while always benefiting from the idyllic space to find rest… The Charney retreats have had a big impact for me: on the immediacy of resting and taking care of myself during the weekends, and on facilitating the work during the rest of the year.’

Our programme included ways to relax, a meditation walk, means of handling difficult emotions, keeping a journal, and the practice of stillness and silence. We heard stories from a forthcoming book and a play. We explored sources of hope. And there was time to unwind, talk, share and sleep. We avoided discussion about policies and conditions, which needs a different context. A lively WhatsApp group supports the members.

We have agreed to a request for another retreat this year, but are unsure how to fund it. Stourbridge Meeting has adopted this as a concern; in two weeks we were given over half of the cost, but we need to find the rest…

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