Elmbrook Court Care Home Helps Syrian Refugee Start a New Life and Career in Grove

Elmbrook Court Care Home Helps Syrian Refugee Start a New Life and Career in Grove

Elmbrook Court in Wantage opened its doors to Reda Almughrabi, a young Syrian refugee, helping him to gain qualifications to establish a new career.

Reda comes to Elmbrook Court care home every week to complete his barbering training, giving the gentlemen residents haircuts, beard trims and eyebrow tidy-ups.

He fled the Syrian capital, Damascus, in 2013 after enduring two years of war, which saw his city destroyed.  Under a United Nations scheme, he travelled to Egypt, where he and his wife lived for several years before coming to the UK in January 2022.

The couple settled in Grove, and Reda has been developing his English with NAME OF ORGANISATION.  The organisation has also supported him in his ambitions, finding him a placement at Elmbrook Court to complete the required hours to qualify as a barber.

“We’re so grateful that the residents and staff at Elmbrook were happy to offer Reda a placement,” said XXX from ORGANISATION.  “We’d been struggling to find a venue but as soon as we got in touch with the home, they said yes!

“Barbering is a specific skill, and different to hairdressing, so he’s been bringing what he’s learnt to the men here and getting the experience he needs.

“Reda has put a lot of effort into his language skills and his new trade, and we’re delighted he’s now qualified and able to start his career.”

Elmbrook Court on Grove Road is a purpose-built home offering all-inclusive residential, nursing, memory and respite care for up to 74 residents.

Reda has been training in the home’s in-house hair salon every week since May.

“I’m very grateful to everyone at Elmbrook Court,” said Reda.  “They have helped me to finish my training.  I was a tailor in Syria but there aren’t many of those jobs in England so I had to learn a new trade.”

“I have to learn the language and the culture, which is difficult.  The way people do things in England is very different to at home.  The men at Elmbrook ask for their eyebrows to be trimmed, we wouldn’t do that in Syria!”

Alison Andrews, Lifestyles Manager at Elmbrook Court, said she is delighted they’ve been able to support Reda.

“We support our local community both inside and outside the home,” she said.  “It’s been a boon for our gentlemen to have a traditional barber service and it makes them very happy to know they’re helping a young man build a future here.”

RESIDENT XXX certainly agrees.

“QUOTE FROM RESIDENT.”

Reda is hoping that he’ll eventually be able to bring his parents and younger sister over to live with him.

“Life is Damascus is very hard,” he said.  “There is no electricity, no water and they find it hard to get food.  I want them to be able to come here and be safe.”

He’s now looking for other venues in the area to offer his barbering skills to, to build up a business alongside keeping residents at Elmbrook Court well-groomed.