20th Anniversary Celebration

Anne Towner and Jean Orton

On Saturday 29th October Refugee and Migrant Network Sutton (RMNS) celebrated 20 years of service. Members, supporters and clients came together at Trinity Church in Sutton to reflect on how the organisation began, what has been achieved and the challenges ahead. 


Past Chairs Jackie McLoughlin MBE and Rosemary Bloxham reminded us why RMNS came into being in 1991: to meet the needs of refugee women English students. They highlighted successes such as a food distribution project for destitute refugees and work with unaccompanied minors. 


Current Chair Anne Towner explained how the organisation has grown and developed to become more professional and locally prominent, adjusting some of its activities and expanding its client group to include migrants. Whilst commenting on the organisation's adaptation to changing social conditions, Anne emphasised RMNS's unwavering committment to the community's grassroots and the continuity of the organisation's aim: to help make the lives of migrant and refugees in Sutton positive and fulfilling through the provision of advice, friendship and English language tuition. 

Tamil Musicians

Anne recognised the outstanding contribution of longstanding volunteer advice worker Jean Orton, who retired earlier this year.


Dancers and musicians from a local Tamil school provided the entertainment for the evening with a selection of performances.

Saboohi Famili

The invaluable support of partner organisations was also acknowledged, including Strategic Partners: the London Borough of Sutton, SCOLA (Sutton College of Learning for Adults) whose English teachers volunteer at RMNS, and Trinity Church who provide the venue for our weekly English classes, creche and drop-in advice service.

Saboohi Famili, principal of SCOLA, gave the keynote address, telling her story of arriving in the UK as a refugee and confirming the importance of local support for newly arrived migrants and refugees.

The evening was thoroughly enjoyed by all and allowed us to consider how RMNS became the organisation we're proud to be part of today, and why it must continue to pursue its aim to support and defend the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Sutton.