1) Every Friday, 4 pm to 7 pm, ‘Cafe Society’ drop-in.

• Attendance varies from about 25 to about 100 adults and children, depending on weather etc. New faces arrive every week: families or individuals. Some are referred informally by accommodation providers and support agencies (they can’t refer formally since our volunteers do not have police checks). More often people are told about us by other asylum seekers / refugees. This continues to be the only such place in Swansea where asylum seekers and refugees can gather in safety, meet one another and also meet locals. A few local people attend regularly. Some offer ‘paralegal’ advice; others offer moral support, friendly conversation, play a game of chess etc. We could always do with more people to lend a hand and make people welcome.
• The drop-in is managed by Shahid Altaf, assisted by Saima Shahid, Angela and Bernard Presgrave, and Francis Anwar.
• Rental is paid (since September) by DPIA.
• Church volunteers attended while we were on probation. Now the church council has decided we’re ‘all right’, we have a 12-month contract and church members no longer come to ‘keep an eye on us’.
• Local Red Cross volunteers began attending in the summer under an agreement with Mohamed Salih, Red Cross Refugee Project Worker.

2) In the soccer season, Swansea World Stars football team trains and/or plays matches at least once a week.

• As of October 2003 the team is in the Zebra League set up by Swansea Bay Race Equality Council, assisted by a Sports Lottery grant for kit and other expenses. Old kit and equipment has been inherited from DPIA’s defunct team in Cardiff.
• The team is captained by Banire Sy Savane, assisted by Robin MacKenzie and Junad Sarkat. They still need more volunteers to join in, esp. people with cars to share the regular burden of transporting players.
• A TV producer is hoping to make a programme about them for BBC Wales.

• Jan 18 2003: St Phillips Centre – ‘Magic Words’: Feast and fun day with a Roma accent. Approx 100 attended.
• March 25: A.G.M.
• May 20: General meeting in County Hall
• June 17: Launch of ‘Between a Mountain and a Sea’ – collaboration with Red Cross (provided buffet), Welsh Refugee Council (provided Iraqi Kurdish musicians). Over 200 attended, £300 collected.
• June 20: moved drop-in from Heyokah Cafe into Brunswick church hall (due to growth in numbers attending: Heyokah too small and possible fire risk when both floors packed with people, as often the case in the summer)
• July-August: ‘Summer Courses’ project run by DACE with Home Office grant, involving 90+ asylum seekers plus locals in language, arts and volunteering skills courses (local guidance, interpreting, counselling)
• July 27: ‘Broken Free’ – TAN dance performance at Taliesin, based on workshops at Heyokah over previous months
• August 10: trip to Oakwood Leisure Park for 220 persons organised by Shahid (contributions to funding came from DACE/Home Office, Leena Homes, City and County of Swansea)
• August 22: committee meeting at Heyokah called by Nesta to discuss proposals to cap legal aid and plan SBASSG letter-writing response
• Sept 5: first International Family Fun Day, organised by Angela – big success, over 120 attended
• Sept 29: celebration at Brunswick hall marking the end of the DACE Summer Courses project
• Oct 11: storyteller Vivian French visited the drop-in
• Oct 25: SBASSG won a ‘Diversity Award Wales’ in a ceremony at Swansea Guildhall (Brangwyn Hall)
• Nov 25: screening of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ at the Brunswick hall, provided by Community Cinema. About 60 attended. Transport costs refunded by DPIA.
• Dec 12: first dance lesson at the drop-in provided by Carol Brown (TAN Dance)
• Dec 20: 2nd International Family Fun day – with Santa Claus. 130+ kids plus parents. Transport costs: DPIA.
• Jan 22 2004: Aleks Avdia in court
• Jan 31: 3rd International Family Fun day – Arabian style, inc belly dancing organised by Carol Brown. Transport costs: DPIA.
• Coming up: March 12 (Friday) 6.30 pm – Brunswick church hall: PUBLIC MEETING to plan for Refugee Week. Hosted by Welsh Refugee Council. Buffet.
• and March (date t.b.c.): Swansea World Stars party, celebration and presentation of certificates to all the team.