Community volunteer project helping Romanian children integrate into Peterborough life has had a ‘positive impact’

RoStars, a Saturday club which runs fun activities for kids who have Romanian heritage, was set up in 2022 with Lottery Funding.

A volunteer community group set up by members of the city’s Romanian community is continuing to do ‘vital’ work around integration.

Established in 2021 to act as a representative for Romanians who have settled in the city, the Peterborough Romanian Community (PRC) has pioneered a number of successful integration projects while also offering valuable 1-2-1 support and sign-posting services.

One of its most successful projects is RoStars, a Saturday club which runs fun activities for kids who have Romanian heritage.

The club, which is bilingual (English and Romanian), is targeted - but not limited to - children who are not well connected and integrated into the Romanian community, or to the wider Peterborough community at large.

The PRC’s secretary Alexandra Bogdan explained what the club does in more detail:

“RoStars gives children the opportunity to connect with others, to learn both the English language (for those who have recently moved) and the Romanian language (for those born in the UK).”

She added: “It also allows them to express themselves through art, music and conversations; and to learn about Romanian culture and heritage.”

Organisers believe the club supports the whole community as it helps to improve children’s mental, emotional, physical and “relational” wellbeing. They also note that the club supports parents as well, helping them connect with others in their community and learn about additional services and opportunities that both children and parents can access.

The PRC was able to set up the club thanks largely to Lottery Funding.

“We applied and received a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund for RoStars back in August 2022, “ Alexandra says. “Being an organisation at the beginning of the road, our funds are extremely tight.”

The PRC are adamant that RoStars has had a profound, lasting and “positive impact on the children attending the club.”

“It has really made a difference in our community,” Alexandra added.Anyone who would like to attend RoStars can find out more by visiting www.roprc.org, or by simply heading down to the Nene Valley Community Centre on Candy Street in Woodston from 10am-11:30am every Saturday.