We are delighted to announce that Love Welcomes has a new workshop! Created for the women in our team, our new workshop is housed in Greenwich Peninsula's Design District in London.
Work is underway to create The Edge X Love Welcomes Guitar Straps
London is our third location supporting refugee women, in addition to our emergency support for refugees in Greece and our handcrafted products made in Palestine.
As with each workshop, this is a female-only workspace designed to offer a safe and supportive environment for our community to grow.
Abi Hewitt, CEO said:
“Love Welcomes exists to support refugee women as they transition into new communities. Employment plays a huge part in confidence, independence and agency for each woman. We’re so excited to have a new workshop in London, designed to support our growing team as they transition into their new lives.”
The Design District is a permanent home for the creative industries — sixteen buildings by eight pioneering architects. Our workshop will employ 19 women offering employment, skills training, support and education.
An evolving community, built on foundations of inclusion, dignity, respect, growth and community.
Each woman earns above the London living wage as well as English lessons and computer training among other support.
Above employment and skills training, our workshops are safe spaces for the women to heal and grow as part of a supportive community. Women like Nada, from the Sudan:
“This is my first job in the UK. Before my dream was to be a designer, I think this is the beginning for me to improve my skills and study in university to be a designer. When I feel stressed, I just hold my needle to sew, it is relaxing for me. I have found nice friends to work with at Love Welcomes. Love Welcomes saw my inner self, and it is coming through now.”
As a creative social enterprise we are so proud to evolve with our new workshop supporting refugee women to stitch their lives back together through employment, skills and support.
Inspirational women are the heart of what we do, creating products which are so much more than beautiful, they are transformational!
Work is already underway as the team produce unique hand-sewn guitar straps designed by U2’s The Edge. This is just the beginning, the workshop will support the women to make the beautiful handmade textile products of the full Love Welcomes range.
Training on the first day
We can’t stop the refugee crisis that has forced millions of men, women and children to flee their homes out of fear for their lives. But we’re not helpless either.
We can help some of the women who arrive to weave a better future for themselves and their families – futures full of hope and purpose.
Everything sold by Love Welcomes benefits women fleeing violence and poverty. So, every piece is a tiny part of a much bigger story.
A story about the joy of learning new things and being able to provide for your family.
A story of hope, how new skills can bring a steady income, so a better future awaits.
A story of laughter, with friends working together.
And a story of pride, that comes from creating something beautiful and improving the lives of your community.
With this amount of love and care, everything they make is beautiful.
But it’s also much more than that.