A FESTIVAL held on Vauxhall Fields in Monmouth on Sunday brought together groups from all nationalities to celebrate inclusion, integration and humanity.

Organised by Monmouth-based charity iNeed and supported by volunteers from Monmouth and Chepstow, the event was free of charge and buses from Cardiff and Newport brought refugee and asylum seekers to celebrate inclusiveness.

The brain-child of iNeed chair Natasha Cadman, it attracted people from all walks of life, bringing people to Monmouth and offered activities including African drumming, which was funded by part of a £6,000 grant to the charity from the Bishop of Monmouth, Rt Rev Richard Pain.

With bouncy castles, workshops and a football tournament, the event had something for everyone, with free food including chickpeas, lentils and onion bhajis cooked by a hard-working band of volunteers, a chip van and free ice lollipops supplied by Iceland.

Paul Sherrington of Rotary Monmouth said: “When we were approached by iNEED to give some help it was an opportunity for us to engage with parts of the community who need support, which is what we are about. Our members played games such as pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey and other childhood games which had the children enthralled. My lasting memory will be seeing a little girl get off the coach and excitedly run the length of the field to look at the cows in a nearby field”.

iNeed was founded by Natasha and her husband Nick and operated for two years from a disused warehouse in Caldicot, with the support of Caldicot Town Council.

In 2017 they moved to the Old Board School in Chepstow, where they continue to receive and process donations of clothes, bedding, shoes and toiletries which are then transported overseas to Syria and parts of Europe, as well as financial support to Yemen where refugees are most in need. The group also works with refugees who have been rehomed in South Wales, in particular in Newport and Cardiff, teaching them English and welcoming some as volunteers.

To find out how you can donate aid or get involved, visit www.refugeesineed.org.uk, ring 07810 837462 or search for iNEED Monmouth on Facebook.