Fellow Travellers Monthly Lunch Club

At the heart of our work in the Cotton Tree is the dedication to the dignity and well-being of those who are rebuilding their lives in the UK. We help our members to develop resilience through community and connection. One of the ways we are trying to achieve our mission is through informal social gatherings.

Every month, we hold our “Fellow Travellers” event, where our members, volunteers, staff, and trustees come together for sharing a meal, engaging in a dynamic conversation, and building a resilient community. The atmosphere is always warm and lively.

The topics that we discuss vary every month, from hope and purpose of our life to forgiveness and anger. This month’s topic was judgment and betrayal. We talked about our feelings towards judgement and betrayal, how do we overcome our emotional attachments to those feelings, and our personal stories around these. We asked the questions: “What happens when a very close friend, a partner, or a family member betrays you? Is it possible to forgive? Even though we forgive the person, can we also forget? What if an institution, not a person, betrays you? Is it possible to build trust again on an institutional level?”

We were particularly joyful this time, as three of our members got their refugee status. We cheered and celebrated the good news all together as a community. After an insightful discussion, a celebration and a lovely meal, we said goodbye to our “Fellow Travellers”, already anticipating our next get together.