Students at a Rotherhithe school have raised more than £1,500 for a charity that supports refugees.
Starting at Southwark Cathedral, the group from Bacon’s College walked to various places that are relevant to refugees and migrants in London – and were accompanied by former refugees as they go.
Each stop was an opportunity to hear about the experiences of different groups of refugees that have come to the UK. One person who joined the walk, Ferdous, told students how he had come to the UK to seek asylum eight years ago and has been fighting to be recognised as a refugee since then.
Stops included the Brick Lane Jamme Masjid (or mosque), which was once a church set up Huguenot refugees from France in the eighteenth century, and a synagogue for Jewish people in the nineteenth century.
Students also walked to a statue outside Liverpool Street station celebrating the Kindertransport, when thousands of children were smuggled over from Nazi Germany to the UK in the 1930s and 1940s.
Students raised £1,500 for the Jesuit Refugee Service, a Catholic charity in London that supports migrants.
Nick Hanrahan from the charity said it was “a great pleasure” to take part in the walk.
He added: “The students have led the fundraising efforts brilliantly and have always been very engaged and interested in learning more about the experiences of our refugee friends.
“We are incredibly grateful for the impressive sum raised, the gifts donated and messages of support shared with our refugee friends”.