The fantastic Bristol Refugee Festival is seeking funds to keep their vibrant events programme free, inclusive and accessible. The festival, a fortnight of music, food, culture and sports events celebrating the skills and contribution of refugees, was established in 2017. In 2023 over 6,000 people took part, including nearly 1000 refugees and asylum seekers and Localgiving is supporting their fundraising for the 2024 edition.

The much-loved flagship event in Queen Square, a staple of Bristol’s cultural calendar since 2005, saw thousands gather in the sunshine to enjoy a day of family activities, food, music, and refugee performers.  Celebrating Sanctuary events across Bristol included a community picnic in Knowle West, women’s crafts at the Arnolfini, a Page Park fun day and an annual Our City Community Cup football tournament in Lockleaze.

Director Jules Olsen said about the event: “Our festival programme is a huge collective effort and brings much joy each year. But as costs rise, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to fund activities and ensure that the people who need our help most can lead and participate in the programme.  We strongly believe in the right for everyone to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives. Donations will enable us to help refugees and asylum seekers build vital community connections and feel welcome and able to become active community members.”

Whilst Joel Zuniga, a BRF ambassador who fled political unrest in Nicaragua and organised the festival’s first Latin American event in 2022 - attended by nearly 500 people – added: “Bristol Refugee Festival is special because it promotes inclusion, equality and creates welcoming spaces for everyone. It is important because all the different communities can express their culture through customs, food, music, dance – this is special because it is an expression by refugees and asylum seekers. It creates a sense of belonging and helps us to integrate.”

Bristol Refugee Festival has partnered with Localgiving with several years, and Ursula Billington from the festival tells us more about our relationship: "Bristol Refugee Festival uses Localgiving as it shares our core values and ideas around building projects from the ground up, and really strengthening our communities on a local level. We have always been a grassroots organisation but we are also ambitious and our work is impactful. Localgiving enables us to remain embedded in the community while also reaching the right supporters so we can scale up our work and make a difference to more people in Bristol and the region."

---> Donate to this fantastic event by clicking here , crowdfunding for the 2024 event ends on May 10, so hurry! Your support could contribute to transport for refugees and asylum seekers to attend an event, or a meal when they arrive; a fair fee for a refugee musician to perform or training for BRF’s refugee ambassadors.