Suzanne Askham

Wellbeing notes: A time to share

Recently a stranger, a young woman, moved into my spare room. Before she arrived, I was nervous. I’d heard stories about house shares that had gone wrong: lodgers who expected hotel service; who made a terrible mess; who were noisy; who smoked or drank too much.

“It’s wise to set clear boundaries,” said the rep from the refugee department at the local council. So I settled on ‘No smoking’, and ‘No visitors’, and hoped for the best.

Needless to say my new lodger is lovely: quiet, considerate and thankful to be safe. The council rep is just a phone call away if I need guidance. A government payment covers any extra costs that I might incur. Honestly, the risk is minimal, and I’m glad I took a chance in opening my door. 

Imagine, now, that bombs were falling in a town near you – close enough to hear them, close enough to feel unsafe. And now imagine that in some far away country there’s a household where you can stay… how welcome that sanctuary would be. 

There are various ways to sponsor a refugee. In the UK, the easiest method is to register interest at gov.uk. In due course your local council contacts you, to invite you to join their list of available households. They send someone to okay your property, and organise a DBS (criminal record) check. And then, when your room is needed… your new lodger comes to stay.