A summit meeting on the Syrian refugee crisis recently held in Stirling was a huge success, attracting 170 attendees from a variety of local organisations.

Last Friday (October 2) members of the public, MPs, MSPs and representatives from the third sector, Stirling Council, NHS Forth Valley, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue and the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) came together in the Albert Halls to discuss how Stirling can welcome and support refugees coming to the area.

Following an introduction by Stirling Council leader Councillor Johanna Boyd, Gary Christie – head of policy at SRC – spoke to the room about the current situation in Syria, and how Scotland plans to respond.

Stacey Burlet – director of Communities and Partnerships for Stirling Council - and Robert Steenson – director of Housing and Environment - then explained how this would likely work in Stirling.

They confirmed that while exact figures are not yet known, families currently in refugee camps bordering Syria are expected to come to Stirling before the end of the year, and will be placed in currently unused accommodation that will be brought back into service.

Participants then took part in facilitated group discussions where some key topics and concerns emerged, including education, healthcare, faith, housing, employment and befriending support.

The feedback from the event - along with key contacts for all organisations present - are to be collated to inform the decision-making and plans of the steering group put in place to handle the process.

Johanna Boyd said: “I was heartened to see so many local people taking the time to come along and discuss Stirling’s response to this crisis and would like to thank everyone who participated. My thanks also to Gary Christie from the Scottish Refugee Council, who gave a helpful national overview of the refugee crisis and how it affects Scotland as a whole.

“The summit was not a Stirling Council event, it was about all of us; educators, police, NHS colleagues, local charities and residents. We heard a lot from various organisations and individuals about how Stirling is best placed to accept refugees, which will go towards shaping our response locally.”