Groups

The BBC reports that over 150 Filipinos celebrated Christmas at a party at the Labour Club in Yeovil. According to the article, most of the Filipinos in Somerset work in healthcare or are working students.

If you're a Filipino who'd like to get involved with the community in Somerset, please contact the South Somerset Filipino Friends Association.

Read the full article: Filipinos uphold Catholic faith in Somerset (BBC News)

Kim Blasco, from the Filipino Children’s Fund, dropped us a note to ask that we post some information about the group. We don't know about them but Kim says they have applied for registration with the Charity Commission and are recognised by the Philippine Embassy in London.

"Created in September 2007, the Filipino Children’s Fund (UK) is a Charitable Organisation, which has applied for registration with the Charity Commission and is recognised by the Philippines Embassy in London.

Our objectives are very specific:
• To make sure that every destitute child in 14 villages in the provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Batangas and Quezon has all he/she needs to attend school and to benefit from his/her attendance. These children need clothing, uniforms, footwear, school materials, books, etc., so that, despite their difficult beginnings in life, they can develop their innate capabilities.

Filipinos began to emigrate from the Philippines around the early 70's to fill a skills gap in the UK. Usually driven by the need to support family left behind, many of the first-generation often worked long and unsociable hours. Their labour was perhaps made bearable by plans to build enough wealth to return to their families.

Eventually, a second-generation of Filipinos began to appear - our generation. Some of us were born in the UK; others were brought over from the Philippines. However, as our parents focused on meeting economic needs, our social and cultural needs tended to be neglected.