SPREAD KINDNESS LIKE A WAVE TO REFUGEES

Brighton Walk, October 11, 2025

On Saturday, 12 walkers collectively walked 143.2km in Brighton as part of our 1000Km Campaign: https://justgiving.com/campaign/walkforartrefuge

The group included Art Refuge team member @jess.a.linton - currently working on the Sudan project, alongside fantastic individuals who work with people seeking asylum and refugees in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex & attended Art Refuge training & support network, funded by Public Health. Also adults, families & children who wanted to support our work, walk to counter recent anti-refugee & migrant rhetoric and celebrate our diverse community.

The day started with solidarity badge-making at @theplotstanmer - a creative outdoor well-being space that welcomes collaborative partnerships with local refugees, asylum-seekers & the services working with them. Through their artwork and conversatio , children talked about the importance of bringing kindness and tried to understand why their neighbours wouldn’t welcome refugees and all people to the community.

The group walked from Stanmer Woods on the edge of Brighton, up on to the South Downs Way - known not only for its beautiful landscapes but as an area with a particularly long history of benefitting from migration as far back as the Neolithic period, as well as Bronze Age and Iron Age, bringing new technology, talents and goods.

As early as the 1500s religious refugees, Hugenots, sought shelter in the area and contributed to the city’s development. Today, Brighton & Hove has large communities from Sudan, Egypt, Iran, Eritrea & many other countries, who had to flee persecution over recent years. All these groups are members of the active Brighton & Hove Refugee & Migrant Forum, established since the arrival of Sudanese refugees in the city in the early 1990s.

Before looping back into Stanmer, the group visited The Chattri memorial, built in 1921 at the cremation site of 53 Indian Army soldiers who fought for Britain in WWI & died from their injuries.

Back around a fire sharing food together, the group brought hope in connection, solidarity and warmth. Let’s create more spaces for walking and talking together!

Words by Jess Linton.