The local Londis already sells a good selection of pulses to suit the tastes of the new arrivals and, while the butcher’s premises on the high street are too small to accommodate a separate area for halal preparation, the nearby Co-op is sourcing appropriate products.
Shopkeepers in the resort town of Rothesay on the isle of Bute, off Scotland’s handsome Argyll coast, are more used to catering for the summer ice cream trade. This weekend, they are busily preparing to welcome 15 Syrian families when the first of at least three charter flights touches down in Scotland early next week, bringing the first tranche of refugees to arrive in the UK before Christmas as part of the government’s promise to take in 1,000 people by the end of the year.
They will be the first refugees to make their home on the island since the second world war, and their arrival will represent a significant increase to the area’s Muslim population, from single figures at present.
In a reflection of the country’s readiness in comparison to other parts of the UK, Scotland will welcome 40% of the 1,000 refugees David Cameron has agreed to take before the end of the year, although the Scottish government’s proportionate commitment was to accept 10% of the total number.
Arriving directly from camps around Syria, families with an average of two adults and three children will be dispersed over 10 local authority areas across Scotland. These councils know the names, ages and medical profiles of the individuals in advance and are prepared for their specific mental and physical health and educational needs, such as fitting wheelchair ramps to accommodation or arranging English language classes for adults.
Scottish authorities are particularly aware of the psychological strain many will have experienced on their journey to Scotland and, from the moment the refugees land, they will be welcomed in a private area at the airport and given refreshments before undergoing a few basic identity checks and then being driven by coach to their new homes.
Once the refugees are initially settled in their accommodation, the priority is to process biometric identity permits, so they can open bank accounts and receive benefits, as well as assess health and educational needs.
The Scottish government’s refugee taskforce, which was set up in early September to coordinate the practical response to the humanitarian crisis, has been in discussions with one particular bank, which plans to have trained staff ready to assist the new arrivals and deal with what forms of ID are necessary given their circumstances.
Humza Yousaf, the chair of the taskforce and the Scottish government’s minister for Europe and international development, told the Guardian: “We’ve never dealt with these numbers at one time in Scotland, so there will inevitably be bumps and niggles on the road, but we have all the players round the table.”
Crucial to the resettlement process has been the work various authorities are already carrying out with faith groups, charities and grassroots organisations to involve local communities, many of which will be receiving refugees for the first time.
“A key focus of the taskforce was the understanding that we need to get into the grassroots of communities to ensure that once refugees move in next door, they are welcomed by their neighbours,” said Yousaf.
Local authorities are taking different approaches, he says, but they each have an element of community preparation. “Some are bringing in community councils and faith groups, others are literally chapping the doors of the neighbours to tell them what to expect.”
Isobel Strong, a local councillor in Argyll and Bute, said: “People want to help and feel a lot of sympathy for what the refugees have been through. Local people have said ‘yes, this is something Bute can do’. We are hoping that people might stay here and add to the community. We know we have capacity – the housing associations here have family homes lying empty because our population is declining, and the schools have room too.”
There is an element of symbiosis: with the advent of cheap package holidays, the tourist trade in Bute has diminished, and its population is half the 1950s figure as younger generations have moved away to find employment.
Speaking as the hailstones from storm Abigail drum against her office window in Rothesay, Strong notes that – while basic furnishings will be provided by the Home Office – local people have organised collections for extra warm clothing, as well as more homely items such as photo frames and vases.
While the nearest mosque is in Glasgow, there is the possibility of a city imam travelling down the coast to conduct Friday prayers, and Strong has already identified a local church hall that can be used for this purpose.
Yousaf said of such grassroots imagination: “I’ve never seen such coordinated and seamless working between the UK government, Scottish government and local government. It’s great testament to the fact that we are so prepared that we are taking 40% [of the first arrivals]. It’s not because Scots are inherently more generous taking more refugees, it’s simply because the coordination on the ground has been so good.”
