On Sunday, November 17, Hay Primary School hosted a welcome event for 63 people seeking sanctuary, organised by Hay, Brecon, and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees (HBTSR).

The group from Swansea was joined by volunteers from the Swansea Asylum Seekers Support group (SASS), local residents, members of Abergavenny Town of Sanctuary, and Ukrainian families.

The event kicked off with a warm welcome, as children were captivated by a bubble machine set up by Cat at the entrance. Inside, Hay schoolchildren’s multilingual greeting signs decorated the welcome desk and doors.

The school hall was filled with homemade biscuits, hot drinks - courtesy of Carola, Sue, Tim and others - and a range of activities for all ages, including dried flower arrangements with Lisa, clay crafting, face painting, and quilting.

Clay crafting, led by Gaynor and Joyce, was particularly popular, with children, teenagers, and even parents joining in.

“We had some really talented children working with the clay,” Gaynor said. “As well as some teenagers and the occasional mum, all of whom were full of enthusiasm and ideas.”

A young Ukrainian boy made a teapot that Gaynor described as “better than Johnny Vegas’s one that is in the V&A.”

The quilting table, led by Jenny and Christina, was a quiet space for people to sit, stitch, and chat. The quilting group, which meets regularly at Hay Castle, makes small quilts for babies and young children. More details about their work can be found on the HBTSR website.

In the Library, there were also activities such as colouring, Lego building, and face painting, which kept the PTFA busy throughout the day. Outside, Dafydd oversaw a variety of games. Although rain began to fall around 1pm, the games continued, with football being particularly popular. Despite the weather, the spirit of play remained strong, and even adults joined in. One young participant commented that he especially enjoyed “playing with so many other keen people,” and no one wanted to stop.

Lunch was served until nearly 3pm, and some attendees even requested to stay longer.

HBTSR Ailsa Dunn highlighted one memorable moment, recalling a mother who, initially worried about her overactive child, was able to relax once she realised the grounds were safe.

“Maybe he slept on the way home?” Dunn joked.

At 2pm, a walk around Hay set off in the rain. Despite the weather, attendees admired the town’s landmarks, including the England/Wales border, where many were surprised to find no passport controls.

Upon returning to the school, an array of cakes greeted the walkers. Tom Owen from Gay on Wye thoughtfully provided small gift bags for the children, filled with treats and small books. Generous donations from locals - including including Alex Gooch, Derek at Hay Deli and Kieran at Castle Greengrocers - ensured enough food was collected to support Swansea’s Christmas party.

This event was made possible with support from Hay School Head Richard Morris, staff, and the PTFA.

To learn more about HBTSR, please visit their website at: https://hbtsr.cityofsanctuary.org/