Winter Party Event at the LDS Charities’ Friendship Centre in Wembley
The evening of 10 December 2019 was an excellent one for over 250 people attending the Winter Celebration social event at the Wembley LDS Charities’ Friendship Centre. The evening evolved from an idea by the Watford Stake Young Women president, suggesting that the youth in the stake could participate in a group service opportunity during the holidays and that it could be coordinated to benefit the Friendship Centre.
Elder Nelson Hafen and Sister Laurel Hafen, the senior missionary couple assigned to the Friendship Centre, used their contacts to ensure that many guests from the wider community and other faiths, including several politicians, were able to attend and enjoy the food, socialise and be entertained. In coordination with several of the local refugee aid groups, and the Brent London Borough Council, about 150 refugees were able to attend.
Four borough councillors attended—Muhammed Butt, leader of the council; Lia Colacicco, deputy mayor of the council; Harbi Farah, from Brent Adult Social Care; and Golnar Bikaei of the Barnet London Borough Council.
Councillors Colacicco and Butt spoke, expressing their delight at the support provided for the refugees and asylum seekers in their local parishes, and their joy of the interfaith events being supported by the Friendship Centre.
Elder Hafen approached a local businessman who gave a generous donation to ensure gifts could be purchased for all the refugee children. Many of the youth from the Watford Stake assisted in serving food and drink and mingling with the invited guests. The youth also helped with the children’s entertainment and with cleaning up after the event.
Watford Stake President Robert Fu noted that four of the five bishops from the stake were able to be among the many attendees. He thanked everyone for all their help in planning and executing the Winter Celebration, saying that as he looked across the room he was touched and amazed at how far the Friendship Centre had come since its start in June 2019. He recognised the Lord’s hand in helping to connect with the partners that are working so happily with the Centre.
Elder and Sister Hafen also thanked everyone involved in the Winter Celebration. They were delighted to report that several of the partners were amazed and impressed with the participation of youth from the stake that they witnessed.