Language, Belonging and Women in Action

In October 2025, Kitabna won a tender presented by South West Councils for Informal ESOL funded by the UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This is specifically for ESOL activities engaging newcomer women in leisure and creative pursuits.

Kitabna - Our Book CIC usually works overseas, with our only engagement with the UK government focused on Northern Ireland, with the Vulnerable Person's Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), between 2019-22. 

We are funded for “Language, Belonging and Women in Action”, an 18-session informal ESOL programme (6 themed modules × 3 sessions each) delivered face-to-face across Somerset and Devon in partnership with local organisations between October 2025 and March 2026. Our proposed six modules are:
 
- Swimming Confidence 
- Gardening for Connection
- Letters from the Sea for Refugee Surfers
- Gym/Body Confidence
- International Book Group
- Creative Writing for Personal Goals

This builds on work Kitabna founder Helen Patuck began with an artistic grant she received in March 2025 from Arts Council England, sharing creative practice with several organisations, including South West Councils. "Language, Belonging and Women in Action" will combine structured English learning with practical or creative activities, co-facilitated by a lead tutor and language/activities assistants primarily recruited from the target community of Afghan, Ukrainian and Hong Konger communities.

Activities will include:

• Swimming lessons in local pools
• Gardening sessions in community gardens and allotments
• Letter-writing in established sea-side locations
• Visits to local women-only gyms
• Book group formation in local venue with multi-lingual books/easy-readers
• Creative writing sessions in local library/arts venues to encourage reflection on goals and motivations for English-language learning

Each practical activity will be preceded and concluded with essential vocabulary and troubleshooting access issues, which we are really keen to make a study of, to work our what keeps newcomer women from living full and connected lives in rural areas. The funding requires me to focus on Ukrainian, Afghan and HKBN(O) communities, but I have been informed that there are no limitations to participants joining beyond these demographics.

To get in touch, get involved or refer students, please contact Helen on helen@kitabna.org