Wednesday, 14 September 2011

Christmas Welcome for Students

Can you imagine what it would be like to be in a foreign country during a national holiday when everything closes and people are with their families? Could you share your Christmas with an international student? Two opportunities are below.


From University Chaplain Fiona Haworth:
Most home university students will leave around the 16 December. Staying in the halls of residence during this time can be lonely and isolating. 
Last year Fiona, the chaplain at Worcester Uni, was able to arrange for 23 students to spend Christmas Eve or Christmas Day with families, and for 11 to go to a Christmas Day lunch at Bromyard Road Methodist Church.  It was overwhelmingly successful for both students and hosts.


This Christmas we would like to offer more students the opportunity to experience a traditional British Christmas.  A simple act of hospitality and kindness makes a huge difference to a student's experience of Britain and can lead to lasting friendships. 

If you are able to offer a meal to two, or more, students, ideally on Christmas Day, or would just like to find out more, please get in touch with the Revd Dr Fiona Haworth.   
Fiona can be contacted by email:  f.haworth@worc.ac.uk  Tel:  01905 542327

Stay-at-home Christmas?
Are you staying at home for Christmas? Would you open your home and share Christmas with a student from China, India, or some other part of the world, who would otherwise be stuck at an almost deserted UK university? HOST invites you to give Christmas, perhaps for the first time in their life, to someone who is a guest in this country, who would love to experience your way of life and make your stay-at-home Christmas special. HOST will match you with one or two guests to suit your household. More volunteer hosts are urgently needed for 1-3 days at Christmas, and weekends all year round. Please see http://www.hostuk.org

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