Pride of Scotland Award for Community Heroes: Bute community and Syrian refugees

That this House congratulates the community of Bute on winning the TSB Community Heroes award at the Pride of Scotland awards 2020, for the support and kindness shown to Syrian refugees fleeing their war torn country and seeking to make a new life in Scotland; recognises that the people of Bute opened their hearts to the Syrian families, many of who were suffering from trauma and had to flee with little or no possessions, by providing them with both emotional and practical support throughout; acknowledges the vital role played by Argyll and Bute Council’s Refugee Resettlement Group in coordinating an island wide, multi-agency response to integrate the Syrian families into the local community; recognises that many Syrian families are now happy and settled on the island with some running their own successful businesses, others finding employment in local industries and young people attending local schools before moving on to further and higher education; recognises that the people of Bute have led the way in demonstrating that people from different cultures living together serves only to enrich a community; and calls on the UK government to look to Bute as a positive, shining example of what can happen when a community comes together to provide refuge to people whose lives are in danger in their own country.