The Easter long weekend always seems to come at the right time. The weather starts to get nice, the flowers are blossoming and the long, dark winter can finally be put behind us.

When I was a child, I remember the joy of the Easter long weekend and the thrill of an Easter egg hunt. Nothing quite matched the feeling of finding a chocolate egg and adding it to the dozens I already had in my basket.

But for many, especially those new to the UK, the concept of Easter can seem a little odd.

Eggs? Chocolate? Bunnies? Is this a real holiday?

But, as I explained, more than anything Easter is a time to get together with loved ones and relax.

Thanks in part to the Neil Wildman Fund, this past Easter weekend I had the chance to help people new to the country feel that same joy I felt as a kid.

It was also an opportunity to offer people the chance to better understand what Easter is all about and provide families with some much-needed respite.

The hotel in Kent

The mood lately at the hotel in Kent has been gloomy.

The hotel, which is set to close in June, has residents feeling anxious and nervous about the future. Opened for around three years, it is now due to shut its doors in the latest tranche of Home Office hotel closures.

Despite the mood, however, the needs of the people living there are often simple, as is usually the case at accommodation centres. A place for children to play, an opportunity to relax and connect with others.

That’s why this Easter long weekend at this hotel in Kent felt different from previous ones. It was clear people were in need of an outlet, and the upcoming closure of the hotel only led to residents wanting to connect that much more.

The Neil Wildman Fund

In 2020, Migrant Help lost our good friend and colleague Neil Wildman.

Neil was passionate about helping others and colleagues would often contact him about cases of client hardship, most often involving children. They knew that Neil would do all he could to help.

Migrant Help decided to honour Neil’s memory by setting up a fund specifically for cases of hardship involving children, and so the Neil Wildman Children’s Fund was created.

It gives me great pleasure to know that Neil’s legacy continues to make a difference.

A weekend to remember 

Holidays often pose challenges for families with younger children in a hotel environment because of limited resources and access to funds.

That’s where the Neil Wildman fund came into play - it was used to help run the Easter party at the soon-to-be closed hotel. Along with the support of a kind volunteer from Gravesham Borough Council, the funds were used to purchase refreshments, craft materials, and Easter eggs for the children.

We made Easter bonnets; Easter cards and the children were able to use craft materials to make whatever they wanted.

By providing the materials and facilitating the space, parents could have some fun and entertain their children for hours on end. Each child had an Easter egg, and an Easter egg hunt was set up in the car park. It was incredible to see the children running around, having fun, and letting off some energy.

The mums took the opportunity to chat with us about their country’s traditions and celebrations, as well as talk through their concerns and next steps.

They thanked us for our kindness and generosity, and for thinking about them and their children.

Despite the mood at the hotel lately, seeing the positive and uplifting energy at the party left me feeling encouraged and hopeful for the future.

It was truly a weekend to remember.

Written by one of our wonderful Senior Community Liaison Coordinators