Worthing town centre property desired for international centre as refugees struggle to find work and sense of belonging

Mike Tyler, who founded the Global Community Development Network charity last June, has so far been unsuccessful with attempts to purchase a building suitable for redevelopment as an international centre.

Mike has helped disadvantaged communities overseas for the past 25 years. He is focused on helping refugees and migrants, of any nationality, learn or improve their English, make friends, find work and suitable accommodation.

"The council and local agencies are helping as much as possible but it is increasingly clear there is need for somewhere where migrants of any nationality can meet, make new friends, learn English, socialise, share their art and culture and have help with their integration and other needs,” Mike said.

"A plan has therefore been developed to establish a sustainable International Community Centre, by renting one of the many empty premises available in the town centre.

"With a manager, this is likely to need £80,000 in the first year and around £25,000 annually thereafter, until financial self-sufficiency can be established, probably from café services or retail sales.”

Mike said a ‘steering group’ to ‘examine premises options’ is being established in liaison with Worthing Borough Council.

He added: “Grant support will be sought and we would like to invite Worthing and Adur residents to donate to a local support fund or provide time and effort to enable this centre to be established.

“This will be a great practical expression of community care for the wellbeing of our neighbours in Worthing and Adur, wherever they were born.”

Mike said the last census in 2010 indicated there were 8,000 residents in Worthing district, who were born outside the UK ‘and help to build our thriving and diverse culture’.

The pensioner explained: “The brutal invasion of the Ukraine by Russia has led to more than six million Ukrainian women, most with children having to leave their homes to become refugees, seeking safety in other European countries.

“As many as 230 Ukrainians have arrived in Worthing and Adur, some having suffered severe trauma, to stay with relatives or in accommodation with host families, until it is safe to return.

“Another 40 have visas to come to our district. One Ukrainian woman refugee in Worthing whose community is now occupied by Russians says she refused to complete a Russian Allegiance document, so she was told to leave her home and her 16-year-old son who had a Ukrainian’s heart shaped flag and picture on his phone was listed as an extremist.

“Our daughter went to live in Holland with her husband and children and found few people they could communicate with, so it was assumed that Ukrainian refugees arriving here would have similar problems and a sense of isolation."

Tetiana Zakaliushna, who escaped to the UK with her two young children, said she is ‘so grateful for all the help and support’.

She added: “Sadly we have lost our careers in the Ukraine, so hope to find employment here using our skills and experience and develop our self sufficiency until it is safe for us to return to our homes and relatives in Ukraine.”