Last month, we were delighted to welcome Philip Corthorne to visit our Feltham office. The Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA) believes it is vital to engage with respected local leaders such as Mayor Corthorne to help bridge the gap between British and immigrant communities. We are grateful that he took time out of his busy schedule to learn more about how our award-winning charity supports the local community and to hear about our ambitions for the future.
Mayor Corthorne shared the following reflections about the meeting:
“Hello, it’s a great pleasure to be here today as a guest of Dr Nasimi and his colleagues at the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association. It’s wonderful to see the work they are carrying out, which is so important when it comes to integration, and I would suggest it has never been more needed. There is immense benefit to the community. I thank you for the work you are doing, and hopefully we can work together moving forward.”
Dr Nasimi MBE, Director of the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association, also spoke about how collaboration between the Mayor’s Office and ACAA could be mutually beneficial for both the local authority and the immigrant community.
The London Borough of Hillingdon has a large immigrant population, making integration a key topic in local politics. The borough is also home to Heathrow Airport, the entry point for many immigrants and asylum seekers arriving in the UK. Both Hillingdon Council and ACAA play an important role in helping new arrivals settle and integrate into the community.
Since relocating to Feltham, near Hillingdon, in 2017, the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association has continued to support immigrant communities in Hillingdon and the surrounding boroughs. We provide free, professional support to migrants and asylum seekers, including legal advice and referrals. We also offer educational programmes, such as ESOL for Integration. This work directly supports Hillingdon Council in their efforts to strengthen integration across the borough.
We once again thank Mayor Corthorne for taking the time to visit us and for showing his support for this vital local institution. We look forward to working together in the near future. We also welcome other local leaders to visit our offices in Feltham, Birmingham, or Liverpool, so that we can continue building partnerships to address the challenges facing local authorities and immigrant communities alike.
By Tom Sankey