Welcome to Eltham group prepares warm welcome for refugees

SOME residents at a northern suburbs retirement village are not looking forward to the arrival of refugees, but a community group is planning a warm welcome.

Welcome to Eltham‘s Nina Kelabora and daughter Ada with a collection of goods donated for refugees. Picture: Josie Hayden

A COMMUNITY group is determined to make everyone feel safe in Eltham after concerns were raised about a plan to lease retirement village units to refugees from Syria and Iraq.

The Diamond Valley Leader reported concerns against the proposal raised by a village resident and another person who has a relative living at the St Vincent’s Care Services aged care facility in Eltham.

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After reading the story, Welcome to Eltham founder Nina Kelabora said she was saddened by the comments.

“It’s important for everyone in the community to feel safe and we really want to work together as neighbours and a community to see how we can make that happen,” she said.

Ms Kelabora, who lives near the Diamond St village, said a “groundswell of support” had flooded in for the refugees with hundreds of goods donated in anticipation of their arrival.

Fort Knox in Eltham has provided the group with four storage containers.

“The units have been renovated but not furbished, so donated furniture such as beds, couches, tables and chairs have been offered along with linen, towels, cutlery, cleaning products and bins,” she said.

The group has also urged the community to post a photo or video on Facebook while holding the group’s Welcome to Eltham logo with a message of support for the refugees. The best messages will then be featured in a book to be handed to the refugees.

Ms Kelabora said she dreamt of one day inviting the refugees to a neighbourhood barbecue or picnic down the track.

“We have a lot of functions in Diamond St,” she said.

“My original idea was to have a barbecue or picnic with them and make them feel welcome.

“I still hope that idea can get off the ground but I don’t want to impose and I think we need to see what they need from us first.”

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