Well deserved recognition for our board member, Dave Newall, for his work at Brushstrokes.

“It was a huge surprise and an honour to be awarded the British Empire Medal for services to asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in the New Year Honours. Over the past 20 years working in the field of migration, from the start of asylum seeker dispersal in Stoke-on-Trent at Citizens Advice, to operational and policy work at West Midlands Strategic Migration partnership, research and consultancy on migration and migrant health and now almost 5 years managing Brushstrokes, it has been my privilege to be able to work with those seeking refuge and new arrivals wanting to settle in the UK. In seeking to build community we must continue to reach out to those who for whatever reasons, whether through poverty, language, homelessness, health, fear or immigration status find themselves on the margins. I have been humbled so often by the resilience, hope, friendship and skills of those new arrivals who seek help at Brushstrokes each week despite the many obstacles they have and continue to face. Seeing individuals who have been able to move into education, employment, settle and take an active role in the community extending help and support to others is the most rewarding part of this work. Brushstrokes’ work is made possible by a wonderful team of staff and volunteers who continue to work tirelessly to ensure asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in our area are welcomed and provided with the support and advice they need and the spirit of partnership between organisations in our area. This award is also recognition of the contribution of the whole Brushstrokes team who are helping make Sandwell a place of welcome for the stranger. For me, that someone sees fit to recognise that service to asylum seekers, refugees and migrants is worthy of this award gives me hope that a new narrative around migration is possible, one that is built upon tangible ordinary acts of kindness and compassion by local people and communities. Welcome and integration are more than strategies, policies and initiatives, they require hands, feet and a willingness to reach out to others. I also hope this award can shine a spotlight on the work of countless others in Sandwell, and up and down the country, who are providing welcome, shelter, support and opportunity to migrants, and that the vital role they play might be increasingly seen, appreciated and understood by local communities, politicians and policy makers.

Dave “