The Food for Hope event, held by Evesham Methodist Church in association with Evesham Vale Welcomes Refugees, saw refugees showing off their cooking skills to demonstrate their potential contributions to British society.
The event took place outside the church on Bridge Street, where a dozen different hot and cold dishes, including some grilled on a barbecue, were on offer free of charge.
While some passers-by hesitated to sample the foreign cuisine, others were quick to reassure the refugees that “British people are a bit conservative about their food”.
Someone replied: “But Tandoori is our favourite dish – we’ll soon get used to these tasty dishes.”
The event was organised in response to the increasing societal divide that the church said is caused by those blaming asylum seekers and migrants for the country’s problems.
The national organisation Hope not Hate, which monitors far-right activity, had called for a ‘Weekend of Hope’ to showcase the positive contributions refugees can make to the UK.
Different groups all over the country were organising events and delivering leaflets to say “we are the many, Britain is a better place than the ‘haters’ want us to believe”.
Evesham Methodist Church now has more than a dozen Iranian refugee members, and others who have asked to learn more about Christianity.
They say they are not free to become Christians in Iran’s repressive society, and they express deep gratitude about Britain being willing to accept them and allow them to become Christians if they wish.
The church says they are eager to adjust to British society and make an input. Some are volunteers with local charities and other are finding local jobs.
Revd David Haslam, who helped to organise the event, said: “Many of those who sampled the food agreed that this how it should be, everyone working together and learning from each other.
“The refugees tell me how grateful they are that Britain has given them the safety and security they could never have enjoyed at home.”