October – December 2025 Bulletin

David raised £500 for Asha by completing the Chester Marathon in 2 hours and 54 minutes. To achieve this milestone requires consistent training, often averaging around 6 minutes 40 seconds per mile. It’s no mean feat.

Enormous thanks and congratulations, David!

P.S. Have you ever thought of starting an Asha Running Group? You could by taking part in the Saturday Hanley Park Run!

Volunteer Christella Twagirayezu brought members of her team from Vodafone to Asha as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme. They helped with clothing distribution and preparing Friday lunch.

Staff at Asha commented that the Vodafone team were a “fantastic addition to the day, with lots of energy and a willingness to get stuck in—so many thanks to Vodafone.”

Asha hopes this visit won’t be the last.

The NHS Maternity Bus visited Asha to provide on-site maternity screening and advice.

This new mobile service offers convenient drop-in access to midwives, including early pregnancy guidance, screening information, vaccinations, and targeted support for vulnerable groups.

It is set to become a very welcome regular presence at the Mums and Babies group.

Under the ‘One Stoke’ initiative, Stoke City Football Club and the YMCA are working together to encourage participation in sport.

On this occasion, their partnership focused on organising a football tournament. Playing against eight other teams, Asha was pleased to collect another trophy.

Well done to Tamba and his players!

Asha is building a strong, reciprocal relationship with the Friends of Hanley Park. Asha service users attended Jingle in the Park and then enjoyed the Friends of the Park Christmas Party.

When an asylum seeker achieves ‘leave to remain,’ it is the beginning of a roller coaster to find accommodation, open a bank account, and register for Universal Credit. Realising this, volunteer Hugh Tranter has set up a system to bridge the gap between asylum seekers in need of advice and City Council staff who are there to assist them.

Hugh describes the system he has initiated as follows:

“On Thursdays, we normally have two housing officers from the City Council to deal with all manner of housing-related needs. As demand often exceeds availability, we use a simple triage system to prioritise case support. Initially, a housing list is collated on a first-come, first-served basis by volunteers taking the register. All things being equal, the list is generally followed, but to ensure that the most urgent cases are dealt with in a timely manner, I speak to the people on the list to ascertain the urgency of their concern, and triage accordingly as follows: (1) Homeless tonight/safety related/at risk-vulnerable; (2) Homeless within 56 days; and (3) General housing enquiries. Another volunteer finds a user to assist someone with poor English.”

“If people can’t be seen on the day, there are also community lounges (housing support) from Monday to Friday at different venues across the city, but most people who use Asha prefer to be seen here, where they are more comfortable.”

This is a really positive step forward in helping asylum seekers deal with the complex issues they face.

Opening Doors Through English – by Ollie John

For many refugees and asylum seekers arriving in the UK, not speaking English is one of the biggest barriers to building a new life.

Our service users at Asha continue to benefit from our weekly ESOL programme. We take great pride in our learners’ enthusiasm for improving their English – a vital stepping stone to integrating into British society – and in watching their confidence grow week by week. Every Wednesday morning, learners can choose between two classes based on their level of English.

Volunteers Diane and Sue lead our Beginner class, where students learn and practise key everyday English language skills – introducing themselves, days of the week, telling the time, and more – in a fun and supportive way. The class is invariably full, to the extent that we have now created a second beginner’s class, taught by newly joined volunteer Paul, to accommodate as many of our service users as possible.

For students with a higher level of English, Chris runs an Intermediate class where students can further develop their skills. Focusing on conversation and applying their prior knowledge, students discuss current events, learn idioms and phrases, and explore the nuances of spoken English.

Mike also continues to work one-to-one with advanced students, helping them to further develop their fluency.

In addition, on Wednesday afternoons, trainee ESOL teachers from Keele University come to Asha to deliver three classes ranging from beginner to intermediate level, giving our learners extra opportunities to develop and practise their English while also offering the trainees hands-on experience working with multilingual learners.

“I’m learning new skills and I’m sure my English is improving. Chris is really helpful, and the classes help me see myself in a positive way. Before starting, my level [in English] wasn’t good. Since coming here, my understanding of grammar and vocabulary has improved massively.

I use English when I’m in shops, with my friends, and on the bus. I’ve become more confident. In the future, I’m aiming to become a plumber, so I want to get to a level where I can speak fluently with customers.

These classes open lots of new opportunities for us. We gain new skills, and we learn how to be a good person for the community.”

Abdul, 20, from Afghanistan

“When I go shopping, I interact with people in English. I use English in my daily life. Outside of class I’m also trying to learn online, on my phone. I really enjoy the classes here. They teach me really well.

If you want to work, you need English. I want to become good at speaking and understanding. Sometimes, if someone is talking to me and I can’t understand them, it’s frustrating. That makes me want to get better.

I want to be a part of this country. I want to have the courage to speak in front of an audience, to have the confidence to do that.”

Toheebat, 34, from Nigeria

Diane and Sue have been teaching an ESOL class for beginners for several years. They work with people who have just arrived at Asha and may have only recently arrived in the UK. Some have a little English; others have none.

They try to make their sessions as enjoyable as possible, creating a safe place for people to try out their emerging language skills, relax, and have fun. Each lesson includes opportunities to speak, to listen, to read, and to write.

Diane comments:

“It is very rewarding to see people gradually increasing in confidence and improving their knowledge of English, little by little. We encourage people to help each other and do not mind if they speak in their own language to do so.”

Each year Diane and Sue organise several visits. After Christmas they arrange a trip to the Central Library in Hanley. While there, students are encouraged to look at the dual-language books, especially those in the children’s section, where the colourful pictures and simple text are ideal for new learners of English. However, what they appreciate most is the opportunity to use the computers.

On the last session in the summer, they visited the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery. The students were fascinated by the Victorian street, the natural history displays, and, most especially, the Spitfire aircraft.

This is now a regular event and, after exploring the museum, the group meets in the café where they use their newfound command of English to order their own drink. The museum staff are incredibly patient while each student makes their order.

Diane says:

“It is very rewarding to see our students relaxing and socialising in the museum café. It is a happy occasion for all of us and a fitting end to the year.”

Every week, TESOL trainees from Keele University visit ASHA to teach English to newly arrived refugees. Their energy and commitment have become an essential part of our community learning programme.

What makes these trainees especially remarkable is their diversity. They are very young and come from across the world — including China, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Ghana, Nigeria, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy.

For many of them, English is not their first language, yet they confidently step into challenging classrooms each week with compassion and a deep desire to help their students.

ASHA is proud to welcome these future educators. Their global perspectives and willingness to learn alongside our refugee learners help create warm, supportive, and hopeful learning spaces.

A trainee’s voice: Cherry from Hunan

“Today was only my third visit to ASHA, but I already look forward to coming. I teach the adult group, and at first I worried my English wouldn’t be good enough. Many of the learners are older than me and have experienced so much before coming to the UK, so I felt unsure if I could support them properly. But they are patient and incredibly motivated.

Today we practised simple everyday English — asking for help, talking about plans, and sharing basic information. These small things mean a lot. One learner wants to speak confidently to doctors; another wants to shop without stress.

I still make mistakes when I explain things, and sometimes we all laugh about it. But I’m learning that teaching doesn’t need to be perfect. What matters is that we support each other.

Even after three visits, I already feel connected to this place. ASHA feels warm, friendly, and full of hope. I’m glad I came to the UK to study TESOL. Every session here teaches me something new.”

Twenty-five years ago, services to meet the needs of people from ethnic minority backgrounds were largely unseen.

Asylum seekers were certainly below the radar. “They look after their own, don’t they?” was a familiar mantra. This was the void Asha sought to fill during the early years of the new millennium.

Today Asha can count on the support of many agencies, ranging from health services to the police and fire services. This must be celebrated.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS, HERE AND OVERSEAS; TO OUR FUNDERS WHO KEEP ASHA AFLOAT; AND TO THE VARIOUS LOCAL CHARITIES AND ORGANISATIONS WHO SUPPORT US.

WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU. YOUR CONSTANCY AND CARE ARE A TRUE GIFT. THEY MEAN SO MUCH TO US ALL. EVERY CONTRIBUTION MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

The ASHA Bulletin – A different horizon

For many years, the ASHA Bulletin has been sustained by the dedication, care, and commitment of Angela Glendinning. Angela has invested an extraordinary amount of time and energy into ensuring that each edition was informative, engaging, and reflective of the work ASHA does.

Her consistency, attention to detail, and willingness to take on this responsibility month after month have made the newsletter a valued part of our community.

As Angela steps back from her time in this role, everyone at ASHA would like to extend heartfelt thanks for the dedication, care, and creativity she has brought to the newsletter. It has flourished under her guidance, and the ASHA community truly values the strong foundation she has established. She has created something people genuinely look forward to reading — a meaningful and lasting achievement.

As we move into the next phase, the newsletter will take on a refreshed look and updated style. While some elements may evolve, its core purpose of keeping our community informed and connected remains unchanged — built firmly on the excellent groundwork Angela has put in place.

Debashish was a core member of Asha following the charity’s move into Unit 7. He was a constant presence, helping out in all sorts of ways. He had been seeking asylum for a number of years.

However, in 2018 his application was rejected and he faced voluntary or forced deportation. He then disappeared. Few doubted that sooner or later he would reappear — and he did.

He had obtained temporary work, probably north of the border, and accumulated enough money to employ a solicitor. This enabled him to arrange voluntary deportation, with some financial assistance, so that he could return to his family in Bangladesh without facing destitution.

We all thought, perhaps naively, that after being away for so long he would be safely reunited with his family.

Volunteer Cina remembers Debashish as one of the kindest men she has ever met:

“I got to know him at Asha. He had been a computer programmer, but he could turn his hand to anything. He could get all sorts of electrical items that were broken to work again; he had endless patience to fiddle with intricate wiring on TVs, computers, and electric heaters. In fact, he was a ‘dab hand’ at anything, as we used to joke.

We had a party for him at Asha and, with a sense of foreboding, we said sad good-byes. A month later we heard that Debashish’s body had been found floating in the Rupsha River in Khulna a day after his family reported him missing. It was his brother who told Asha. I won’t forget him and his kindness.”

Cina — 18th November 2025

Follow up

On his arrival back home with his family, Debashish remained in touch. On 18th July 2019, he emailed:

“Hope you are alright and enjoying the summer. I’m trying to keep myself well — better to say trying to cope with my new situation. Though it’s funny to hear it’s my country, it now seems to me like a new place.

My family members are very happy as I have returned after a long time. My mom can’t walk by herself because she had a broken hip. She can’t move or stay on her left leg. Though we had replaced the broken hip in the best hospital in Bangladesh with the best surgeons, all has gone in vain — such a waste.

My dad is 85+ now. He can’t remember most things. The funny thing is he couldn’t recognise me for the first week of my arrival. I treat him like my son nowadays. Now he is happy at least he has someone to josh with instead of fighting with mum — “Ha ha ha”. They love each other very much. My brother, his wife and his two daughters are very nice.

My brother and his wife are both suffering from diabetes and depend on insulin, so does my mom. My brother has also lost the eyesight in one eye. We are all living together in the house as a combined family.

Since I have come back, maybe I have been well for not more than 10 days. I have had to stay in hospital for more than two months at different times. That was for chest pain, breathing trouble, heat stroke, allergy etc. Thanks to all for sending me money at that time, which helped me a lot with my medical bills. For the last week I have been feeling better. Let’s hope it will continue.

It’s my current situation. I cannot start anything for myself yet. Living with the hope and strength that I can do something.”

He finished in typical Debashish fashion with:

“You take care yourself. Missing you always. Specially THE HUG.”

It was natural to arrange a celebration of Debashish’s life, and so it was that an eclectic group of people gathered at Asha one afternoon to remember him.

Debashish’s kindness was the common thread running through everyone’s personal recollections.

“He was such a quiet, deep-thinking and gentle man, always ready to help others, often before they knew help was needed,” said one.

Another commented: “I always admired him and was humbled by his positive, helpful, can-do attitude and the many difficulties he faced.”

Reflecting on the times they spent together, another friend said that perhaps the most important lesson she learned was from his quiet strength. Few of us realised how, for example, he would go out on a freezing day to help a fellow asylum seeker get an old television working, or to help a new arrival find their way to Asha or to English classes.

Who can forget the street food he arranged for Trinity Church at Leek’s Christmas Lights Switch-On?

Another friend echoed all our thoughts when he said:

“We still miss him. What a waste. He has left a lasting impression on those he met and has left a lasting hole in our lives. Isn’t this a most worthy and lasting legacy?”

Debashish was not perfect — who is? But, like in a family, deficits count for little in the overall scheme of things.

Debashish’s death merited a long column in The Sentinel. Godefroid is quoted as saying:

“He was an incredibly nice guy and very friendly. He was a loving man and just wanted to help people. He will be incredibly missed.”

When told of his death, an asylum seeker said:

“These people never forget.”

A Home Office spokesman said:

“All asylum claims are carefully considered on their individual merits against a background of updated country information and relevant case law.”

Our commemoration ended with the playing of a Ghazal. This can best be understood as a poetic expression of the pain of loss or separation, and the beauty of love in spite of that pain.