On 7th December 2016 the Trinity Centre in Cardiff was transformed into a Christmas extravaganza! Bridges For Communities partnered with STAR (Student Action For Refugees) to turn their their annual, drop-in Christmas Party into one big Peace Feast.
Nearly 200 people were able to enjoy an evening that began with a range of beautifully catered food from Petra Grill, City Road (made possible by funds donated to Bridges by the Pears Foundation) and further yummy treats made by the student STAR volunteers! Once everyone had suitably feasted, the Christmas fun began! With refugees and asylum seekers from many countries, there was a range of talent to be shown. The church sanctuary was filled with the sound of drums, guitars and classic Christmas carols. The performance of the traditional dabke dance, by the experienced and by beginners alike, embodied the aim of the evening which was to celebrate the contribution that refugees and asylum seekers make to our society, and the willingness of many people to welcome them and learn from them.
It's safe to say that everyone was well fed and able to enjoy a relaxed atmosphere as they ate, chatted and met new people. There was truly something new for everybody to experience, and with a room full of food, music and Christmas hats, there were smiles all round as people said their goodbyes.
We would like to thank the amazing people at STAR Cardiff for making this event happen, and for the excellent work they do week in, week out. And we will leave you with a few quotes from those who attended and some images from the evening:
So nice eating food with so many people and having interesting conversating! Great evening!
This is incredible! Literally this is like a dream come true. Sharing love and laughs with incredible people.
This was amazing! Food was delicious and I talked to really nice people.
Very tasty and abundant food, happy and chilled atmosphere.