Christina Ball writes from London:
I’ve been the Director at Notre Dame Refugee Centre (NDRC) for about 18 months and find my job incredibly rewarding. As I work within a small team it is easy to see first-hand how our work makes a real difference to the lives of the most vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers.
The Refugee Centre was originally established 28 years ago by the Marists at Notre Dame de France, as a response to the political crisis then in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many French-speaking Africans fleeing the upheaval in their country joined the church congregation, which led to the priests and parishioners wanting to do more to help those who were seeking to make the UK their home.
Since then, the centre has grown although it is still a small charity with its own charitable status, where we offer expert immigration advice along with a range of support services, and above all a warm welcome. Having a staff of just seven, mainly part time, we rely on the support of more than 30 volunteers from all walks of life – including some of the priests and parishioners.
The Refugee Centre remains a vital part of the mission of the Society of Mary, and we enjoy a strong working relationship with the Marist community –participating in different activities throughout the year. On a day-to-day basis we regularly see Fr. Pascal and Fr. Martin, even if it’s just for a brief chat or we meet more formally at trustee meetings. Only this week we had a joint staff outing, with the Centre and the Church teams enjoying a rather competitive game of pétanque by the Thames.
In 2024, I was privileged to be invited to visit La Neylière where I learned so much more about the Marist history and mission, which I found hugely inspirational and brought a valuable new insight into the work that I do every day – and an understanding that the reason the charity was established so many years ago is as important today as it was then.
To find out more about the work of the Centre: www.notredamerc.org.uk
