The Takeaway Project

Since 2018 we have held monthly family workshops at the Birch Network’s regular Meet and Greet support sessions for newly arrived asylum seeker families. Our workshops are designed to enable children to create something that they can take away with them at the end of the session and together we have produced a range of different ‘takeaways’ including drawn and crafted postcards, clay sculptures and illustrated name badges.

In 2018 mixrice ran a series of ‘mixfruit’ workshops, asking participants to share memories of the sight, smell and taste of fruits from home, and to recreate these using coloured clay, drawing, writing, and the flesh of other fruits. The outcomes of these workshops formed part of their Migrating Flavours exhibition.

The Takeaway Project is delivered by our Operation Assistant, working with volunteers who want to gain experience of designing and delivering workshops in a participatory setting.

Birmingham Community Hosting (Birch) Network is a volunteer led charity working to harness the enthusiasm of local people to offer friendship and hospitality to people seeking sanctuary in the Birmingham area. The Meet and Greet project runs a weekly lunch, play and activity session in central Birmingham for newly arrived asylum seeking families. The majority of the families live in a nearby hostel where conditions are cramped and children are without school places whilst awaiting longer term accommodation. The Meet and Greet has an emphasis on improving well-being and provides families with some respite from the difficulties of day to day life.