Images © Big Leaf Foundation
Refugee Week 2025 | our community in action
June 2025
At Big Leaf, we create spaces where displaced young people feel safe, supported and part of something meaningful. Our work is rooted in the everyday practice of community, and we build it by being present, listening and showing up with consistency and care. Refugee Week 2025 gave us the opportunity to do what we do every day - to show up, listen, and build something together.
This year’s theme 'Community as a Superpower' echoed the values that guide us. Over five days, we brought together young people, volunteers, and local residents through shared meals, music, theatre, and sport. Each day offered a different way to connect, through cooking, performing, playing, and sharing stories. The sections below reflect on these moments and the communities that grew from them.
This year’s theme 'Community as a Superpower' echoed the values that guide us. Over five days, we brought together young people, volunteers, and local residents through shared meals, music, theatre, and sport. Each day offered a different way to connect, through cooking, performing, playing, and sharing stories. The sections below reflect on these moments and the communities that grew from them.
We shared food and stories with Surrey Fire & Rescue
We started the week by visiting Surrey Fire and Rescue. Our young people cooked a traditional Afghan meal and served it to the firefighters. Preparing this meal was a proud moment, and sharing it helped break the ice. Around the table people chatted openly about food, daily life and the work firefighters do. There was curiosity on both sides, and the conversation flowed easily. Eric Daniels from Surrey Fire and Rescue summed up the experience perfectly:
“It has truly been our pleasure to work with Big Leaf. Every project has been so worthwhile, especially seeing the young people engage, interact, and smile. The visit exceeded all expectations, and the food was amazing - I may have had three plates, but who’s counting!”
After the meal the firefighters gave us a full tour of the station. We asked about their daily routines, the gear they use, and how they prepare for emergencies. One of the highlights was seeing the extension ladder in action; everyone was buzzing with excitement as it rose into the sky. Some of us even had the chance to climb on and experience what it feels like to go 34 metres up. That moment brought joy, a bit of adrenaline, and plenty of laughter. For some of the young people, it sparked a genuine interest in joining the fire service one day. That sense of welcome and openness stayed with us, shaping the tone for everything that followed.
We celebrated voice and creativity through music
On Wednesday, we gathered at The Boileroom in Guildford for an Open Mic night. We invited young people, community members and friends of Big Leaf to come together and share whatever they felt moved to offer. The line-up included Sudanese rap, singing in multiple languages, and the calming sounds of the mbira, a traditional Zimbabwean instrument.
We set the tone early by making sure the space felt welcoming with no pressure to perform (except for the Big Leaf team). Some sat back at first, watching and taking it all in, while others quietly rehearsed lines or tuned instruments. As the evening went on, something shifted. Encouraged by the atmosphere in the room, more people began to step forward. The performances were raw, personal, and full of feeling. During her performance, Edith, a Zimbabwean artist, sang and played the mbira while sharing this beautiful message:
We set the tone early by making sure the space felt welcoming with no pressure to perform (except for the Big Leaf team). Some sat back at first, watching and taking it all in, while others quietly rehearsed lines or tuned instruments. As the evening went on, something shifted. Encouraged by the atmosphere in the room, more people began to step forward. The performances were raw, personal, and full of feeling. During her performance, Edith, a Zimbabwean artist, sang and played the mbira while sharing this beautiful message:
“My grandmother told me that in everything that you do, do it with love, because if you do, it blossoms.”
By the end of the night, the distance between people had started to dissolve, and what began as an open mic became something much more personal, a space where people connected through sound, language and being present.
What made the evening powerful was not just the talent on display, but the way the space held everyone who stepped into it - there was no need for introductions or explanations. The acts spoke for themselves, and the response from the audience showed that people were truly listening. Some stayed long after the last performance ended, gathering in small circles to talk, or simply enjoy the feeling of having been part of something together.
The night reminded us that creative expression doesn’t ask for perfection. It asks for a place to land. And when that place exists, voices begin to grow in strength. This was one of those nights.
What made the evening powerful was not just the talent on display, but the way the space held everyone who stepped into it - there was no need for introductions or explanations. The acts spoke for themselves, and the response from the audience showed that people were truly listening. Some stayed long after the last performance ended, gathering in small circles to talk, or simply enjoy the feeling of having been part of something together.
The night reminded us that creative expression doesn’t ask for perfection. It asks for a place to land. And when that place exists, voices begin to grow in strength. This was one of those nights.
We created new bonds through football
Later in the week, we brought together over 100 young people, volunteers and local community members for our Sports for Connection football tournament at Surrey Sports Park. From the moment people arrived, the atmosphere was full of energy. There were smiles, introductions, and plenty of light-hearted competition before the matches had even begun.
We mixed the teams to encourage new connections and to make sure everyone had a chance to play alongside someone they hadn’t met before. Throughout the day there were moments of incredible skill and brilliant teamwork, but what stood out most were the conversations and friendships forming between games. People who had never met before were chatting on the sidelines, sharing snacks and planning which team to cheer on next.
It was clear that the football itself mattered, but it wasn’t the only thing bringing people together. The event created a space where everyone could feel included, whether they were on the pitch, cheering from the sidelines, or simply taking part in the buzz of the day. As Koye, our Sports Programme Lead, put it:
We mixed the teams to encourage new connections and to make sure everyone had a chance to play alongside someone they hadn’t met before. Throughout the day there were moments of incredible skill and brilliant teamwork, but what stood out most were the conversations and friendships forming between games. People who had never met before were chatting on the sidelines, sharing snacks and planning which team to cheer on next.
It was clear that the football itself mattered, but it wasn’t the only thing bringing people together. The event created a space where everyone could feel included, whether they were on the pitch, cheering from the sidelines, or simply taking part in the buzz of the day. As Koye, our Sports Programme Lead, put it:
"Big Leaf football is about making connections, having fun and meeting new people."
That spirit shaped every part of the tournament. By the end of the afternoon, numbers were exchanged, team photos taken and people we making plans to play together in the future. The matches gave us a framework, but the sense of community came from everything that happened around them. What began as a tournament quickly became something more connected and lasting.
We brought personal stories to life on stage
To close the week, we partnered with Guildford Shakespeare Company and the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre to present Welcome to Our Table, a performance developed from the stories of displaced young people and selected texts from Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors and The Stranger’s Case from the Elizabethan play Sir Thomas More. It was incredible to see how Shakespeare’s words, written over 400 years ago, still hold such powerful and relevant insights that echo the experiences and stories of displaced communities today.
"Tonight really celebrated the power that theatre can have: a sensitive and collective experience of personal stories that carry within them both harrowing reminders but hopeful messages of how we are all one people. I’m in awe of the bravery shown tonight and the togetherness and awareness such an event can make happen."
Matt Pinches, Co-Founder, Guildford Shakespeare Company
Matt Pinches, Co-Founder, Guildford Shakespeare Company
The performance explored themes of displacement, family, and belonging in a way that was both honest and hopeful. Scenes moved between home and border crossings, memory and present, with stories shared through spoken word, shadow puppetry, and live music. During the performance, the audience was invited to eat together and share sweet tea. Sharing food in the middle of the performance created a pause that felt deeply human, reminding everyone in the room that stories often begin around a table. One of our young people, reflecting on the experience, said:
"It was important for us to share our stories so people can understand the journey we have been through. If we don’t share this history, others won’t know what our lives have been like."
These words spoke to the heart of the evening, highlighting the importance of storytelling and the need to create space for these stories to be heard.
Relationships formed between the cast too as young people collaborated with local participants, including members of Guildford School of Acting. One simply said, "the best part was meeting all the lovely people involved" which captured the ease and warmth that shaped the group from the start.
The performance brought Refugee Week to a close and reminded us what is possible when stories are shared and received with openness and when community begins with the simple act of listening.
Relationships formed between the cast too as young people collaborated with local participants, including members of Guildford School of Acting. One simply said, "the best part was meeting all the lovely people involved" which captured the ease and warmth that shaped the group from the start.
The performance brought Refugee Week to a close and reminded us what is possible when stories are shared and received with openness and when community begins with the simple act of listening.
A moment to reflect
Refugee Week gave us a moment to reflect on the kind of community we’re building. One shaped by care, consistency and connection. Across every event, from shared meals to theatre performances, football tournaments to open mic nights, we saw how trust can grow when people are welcomed, listened to and included.
Many of the young people we work with have experienced displacement, loss, and long periods of uncertainty. But they also bring joy, creativity, and a strong desire to connect. This week reminded us that belonging is not created through grand gestures. It happens in steady, everyday ways… in how we speak, how we listen, and how we show up for one another.
We will continue creating spaces where young people feel seen, supported and part of something. Places where confidence grows, friendships are built, and new futures begin to take shape.
To everyone who makes this work possible - our donors, partners, friends and wider community - thank you. Your continued belief in the power of connection allows us to keep showing up, building trust, and walking alongside these brilliant and determined young people.
Many of the young people we work with have experienced displacement, loss, and long periods of uncertainty. But they also bring joy, creativity, and a strong desire to connect. This week reminded us that belonging is not created through grand gestures. It happens in steady, everyday ways… in how we speak, how we listen, and how we show up for one another.
We will continue creating spaces where young people feel seen, supported and part of something. Places where confidence grows, friendships are built, and new futures begin to take shape.
To everyone who makes this work possible - our donors, partners, friends and wider community - thank you. Your continued belief in the power of connection allows us to keep showing up, building trust, and walking alongside these brilliant and determined young people.