Guys I am doing a brave thing. I am donning a wet suit and stepping out in public. Then risking e-coli in the mucky waters of the Serpentine, with the high expectation of cardiac arrest by swimming half a mile. At an insanely early hour of the morning.
Why, you ask? Because I am trying to raise some cash for the incredible charity, West London Welcome. My friend Jo MacInnes founded this astonishing all-inclusive community centre for refugees and asylum seekers 6 years ago. In that short time it has grown to be a thriving centre offering every kind of support. From intense casework and hardship relief to creative workshops and day trips all over South England, the Centre now welcomes in 500 members a year. They take a holistic approach to support the needs of this community, from the practical and social to the emotional and playful. Every time I visit, I am blown away by the spirit of the place, the warmth of its community and the joy that is palpable. For members arriving new in the UK, having survived the most harrowing of traumas, this is a wonderful, practical and friendly place to land.
But WLW receives no government funding and relies largely on private donations. If you could support my fundraising effort I would be massively grateful. Don’t make me look like a walrus in a wet suit for nothing! Please give generously and huge thanks.
