A fundraising concert last Sunday for the Southern Downs Welcome Circle added $1353 to the group’s effort to help settle a refugee family in Warwick.
The group was formed last year to work with the Federal Government’s CRISP sponsorship scheme which aims to give Australian rural communities a chance to resettle long-term refugees.
Spokesman Doug Wilson said a family – a couple with three school-age children, who have been living in a refugee camp in Sri Lanka for several years – are scheduled to arrive in mid-May.
The Welcome Circle began fund raising and training in October in preparation for helping the family resettle in Warwick. Under the CRISP scheme, the group is responsible for the family’s first year in Australia, from the time they are met at the airport. Sunday’s concert, held to celebrate national Harmony Week, brings the group’s fundraising tally to $8000.
Eighty people attended St Mark’s Anglican Hall. After a welcome from Doug Wilson, The Goodwills (Bob and Laurel Wilson) opened the show with an entertaining set of mostly original songs. Then came community choir East Street Singers with a contemporary set including Ralph McTell’s Streets of London and A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman.
There was a break for afternoon tea then Penny Davies and Roger Ilott presented a 40-minute set of songs, including Hey Rain, written by the late Bill Scott. The Granite Belt-based musicians are well known through exposure of their music on the ABC’s Australia all Over.
Mr Wilson said the Southern Downs Refugee and Migrant Network, which is affiliated with the Welcome Circle, is seeking new members to become engaged in refugee and multicultural advocacy. A meeting will be held on 2 April at 2pm at St Mark’s Resource Room. Contact sd.refugeemigrantnetwork@gmail.com
