Welcoming Cultures UK

23/09/2026

My promise to my young roma girls “
Life has not been the kindest always to our community , girls,aunties,mothers.

The employment project it s not only an employment project .
In our organization we honor every single client’s journey ,dream and support
Them to overcome systemic discrimination in the labour market which Roma girls and women face .
Libusha- current receptionist at Page hall medical centre. An amazing role model and goes beyond anything to support patients with so many complex needs. Our girls are giving so much to our city and locality , they are an amazing value to our city.Opportunity Sheffield
PavLina- Health and social care - her dream is to work either in Health and Social care, Beauty or
Become a receptionist like Lia . Ifrah - dreaming to become a teacher and help young people and families

Angela- a single young mom of beatiful boy aspiring to return into education and teaching . Angela , I am sorry life has taught you a hard lesson from this young age, however you are a champion and you are already a winner . Hard work and determination will show
You it s worth fighting for a better future , career and life,and , your baby will give you that strength too.

To Sheffield City Council to our people , it takes. Village to raise a child,a young child person , let’s
all play our part.

🙏🏽❤️

23/09/2026

21/09/2026

It has been a great privilege this year to work alongside such an amazing group of Mental Health Champions. We have already learnt so much from each other — from our cultures, communities, lived experiences and different perspectives — and there is still so much more for us to learn together.

Sheffield North Smiles is a community-led project co-producing a local Mental Health, Race & Culture training programme, while developing Community Mental Health Champions who can help challenge stigma, improve understanding and strengthen access to mental health support across our diverse communities in North Sheffield.

You can meet our team and read a little about each of our Champions in the short bios attached.

The Sheffield North Smiles Community Mental Health Champions are:
1. Favour Bernard
2. Charu Asthana
3. Sharmarke Ismail
4. Terezia Rostas
5. Naila
6. Gabriel Okafor
7. Chnoor Haji Salih Zhalanawy

A huge thank you to the This Is Us North funders, Ellie Guy, Hannah and the team at SOAR Hanna A Soar the ICB, and all our organisations and partners supporting this journey.

Coming in October: our next FREE Mental Health, Race & Culture Training

Potential dates: 8th, 9th & 12th October

To express your interest, message Welcoming Cultures or contact me on 07464 931835.

05/08/2026

Day 12of Sunmer Healthy holidays ❤️☀️🌞🌹🌸🌺
An amazing end of Healthy holidays for us .
Thank you Summer 2026 , until next year 🙏🏽🥰.

Thank you to all children, families, volunteers , supporters , visitors .
Thank you for the lovely gift too.
It means the world to us to have diverse communities joining us . Around 120families have joined us on the day to celebrate our Mini Olympics and Healthy holidays at Welcoming Cultures UKand Care for Young People’ Future/ Care for Roma
With Sunrit Culture Group Jilo

We have also shared with the families the petition to make Page Hall greener and have more plants outdoors.
Everyone supported it on our manual form.

Here is the link where you can support too https://www.change.org/p/introduce-flower-planters-around-page-hall?recruiter=1424929816&recruited_by_id=0d88c890-8b3d-11f1-982e-c982fa2b7e38&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard&utm_medium=copylink&share_id=fjZkVnQLbj

Hanna A Soar SOAR Sheffield City Council North East Local Area Committee Safiya Saeed Berberaawii Cojocaru Maria Elena Joanna Asia Wala Friends of Grimesthorpe WoodsHector Melin Martínez Gogo Trysense Prishni Asthana
Lu Watkins

02/08/2026

2 AUGUST

ROMA GENOCIDE REMEMBRANCE DAY

Samudaripen – Porajmos

On the night of 2–3 August 1944, nearly 3,000 Roma and Sinti children, women and men were murdered in the gas chambers at Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The Roma Holocaust claimed the lives of an estimated 500,000 Roma and Sinti across Europe.

We Carry It With Us

Their lives were stolen, but their humanity was not.

Their voices were silenced, but their stories continue to speak through us.

We carry their memory with us.

Today we honour the courage, resistance and resilience of Roma and Sinti communities who survived persecution and ensured that our language, culture and identity endured despite centuries of discrimination.

Remembrance is not only about the past.

It is about protecting human dignity, confronting hatred, and ensuring that future generations inherit truth rather than silence.

Memory is resistance.
Remembrance is justice.

We are dedicating this poem and video to the thousands of souls lost during the Roma Genocide , their families and their survivors.

Dedicated to Memory, Education and Hope

“Why Don’t We Cry?”

Written by: Delia Grigore

Retold by: Terezia Rostas

Recited by: Hany Mohammad

Video by: Rosa Sencis

Because we remember.

Because we carry it with us.

Because “Never Again” must mean never again—for everyone.

Roma Sinti HumanRights

08/06/2026

📘 Proud to share the launch of the ODIHR Handbook on Advocating for the Human Rights of Roma and Sinti Women.

I was honoured to be one of the authors of this publication, developed alongside Ajla van Heel Merdanovic, with the guidance and support of Natalia Duminica and the ODIHR Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues team.

The handbook was developed in response to ODIHR’s 2024 Needs Assessment of Roma and Sinti Women’s Organisations and Activists and provides practical tools to strengthen advocacy, participation and policy influence.

The launch brought together 18 Roma and Sinti women leaders, activists and experts from 11 countries, creating a powerful space for dialogue, learning and collaboration.

Launching this publication during Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month feels particularly meaningful. I hope it becomes a useful resource for Roma and Sinti women’s organisations, civil society, institutions and allies working towards equality and human rights.

📖 Handbook: https://odihr.osce.org/odihr/663589

Advocacy GRTHistoryMonth GenderEquality

22/05/2026

Cultural day at Manor Lodge primary ❤️👏🏾

07/05/2026

Vote Labour Today — Thursday 7 May

Real Hope. Real Change.

Polling stations across Sheffield are open from 7am until 10pm today.

Please remember to:

* Bring your valid photo ID
* Vote at your designated polling station
* Postal votes can be handed in at any polling station in Sheffield

Every vote matters.

Across Sheffield, Green Party candidates are standing in:

* Ecclesall, Greystones, Broomhill & Sharrow Vale
* Gleadless Valley and Heeley
* City Ward
* Nether Edge & Sharrow
* Burngreave
* Hillsborough
* South West Sheffield
* Manor Castle
* Walkley
* Crookes and Crosspool

Vote for the future you want to see in our city

Vote Labour today.

05/05/2026

05/05/2026

This week and last week I’ve been out across Kelham Island, the Wicker and Highfield — leafleting, speaking in different languages 🙂 with local residents and meeting local business owners.

These conversations matter.

We spoke honestly about the challenges people are facing — from homelessness and vulnerability, to lack of access to employment, training and education, and the gaps that still leave many feeling unheard at the Wicker.

But I also saw something powerful.
The big community suport offered by and Sadacca and many other local businesses.

I met incredible people from our diverse communities who have built businesses, created opportunities and continue to contribute so much to our city.
The welcome I received everywhere I went meant a lot and it made me feel a winner already. Thank you🙏🏽.

Our communities are strong.
But they deserve better support, better access, and a stronger voice.

From Kelham Island to the Wicker, and through to Highfield — I will continue listening, standing up, and working for you.

Terezia Rostas for a stronger, fairer City Ward.