Blog

One of our most popular community activities at ICN is our cooking class. The group meet regularly to share some of their favourite recipes and learn from each other’s cultures.

Even when we don’t share languages, backgrounds or traditions, we often find that we all love to gather around the table and share a meal: food is a universal language!

Some of the women who take part in our cooking class shared their favourite recipes.

This Refugee Week, as we celebrate the courage of refugees, as the saying goes, ‘let’s build a longer table, not a higher wall’ – why not try out a new recipe and invite someone to share it with you?

Have you ever stopped to think about how two hours could impact someone else’s life?

You might think about what you could do in two hours, it may look like scrolling on social media, watching YouTube videos, catching up on your favourite series, reading a book or having a mindless break from life. But have you ever considered the difference those same two hours could make in someone else’s life?

At ICN, our volunteers give an average of two hours a week.
That may not sound like very much time, but those hours add up to something bigger than we can imagine. When time is offered to a cause people care about, even just two hours can have a meaningful impact on the community around them and help you learn from others.

At ICN, those two hours given might mean:

• A woman can attend an English class while her child is cared for in our crèche.
• Someone who is illiterate in their own language can learn to spell their name in English.
• Parents are supported to better help their children with homework, reading, or additional learning.
• A conversation group can run, helping to reduce isolation and build community
• Someone can access a drop‑in advice service in a welcoming, non‑judgemental space.
• Someone feels heard, supported, and safe to share their experience with others.
• Someone who was previously isolated gets involved and connected into community and starts volunteering themselves.

Individually, these moments may feel small, but together they create a ripple effect across individuals, families, and communities.

Volunteering at ICN isn’t about having endless free time. It’s about choosing, when you can, to invest a little time into something that matters to you.

Because two hours, given with care, can do far more than you might imagine. And when many people choose to do the same, together, it becomes something truly powerful and impactful. Volunteers make waves.

So, what will you do with two hours?