Scottish Congregation to Welcome Congolese Refugees with Tunnock's Teacakes

Scotland's first group of Congolese refugees will receive a welcome pack containing home treats from the African continent and one of the country's favourites, Tunnock's teacakes, when they arrive in their new home of North Lanarkshire, Wednesday.

Father Stephen Miller, of St Luke's parish church, Forgewood, said he has prepared gift packs for the families with the help of local donations, The Sunday Herald reported at the weekend.

The 22 refugees have automatic leave to remain in Scotland and are part of a larger group of 80 given the opportunity under a Home Office resettlement programme to start new lives as British citizens in the district.

The nine adults and 13 children will have access to French and Swahili-speaking interpreters who will help ease them into their new lives when they are housed throughout the south of the North Lanarkshire area

Community leaders in Motherwell will give the five families a very Scottish welcome as they plan to introduce the new arrivals to national favourites, Tunnock's teacakes and shortbread.

Father Miller said: "We've got enough food to last them the first couple of days, including some indigenous African foods which they will recognise from home like cassava, chikwangue, lots of rice and some breads. We do have Scottish food like the notorious Tunnock's teacake, shortbread and some ginger beer too, but we've steered it away from haggis and black pudding."

Miller will also hand out gloves, hats and scarves to prepare the new arrivals for the Scottish climate, as well as household necessities such as towels and shampoo. He has also rallied locals to form a befriending group to smooth the transition for the refugees, who are being resettled under the Gateway Protection Programme.

The programme is the result of a Home Office and United Nations High Commission for Refugees partnership forged in 2002 when the UK government agreed to resettle 500 people every year. The Home Office covers all relevant costs for accommodation, healthcare, education and social work.

The Gateway programme is specifically for the most vulnerable refugees from the poorest countries in the world, who are often fleeing persecution and torture. The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed around four million lives since it began in 1998.

Once in the UK the refugees will be given National Insurance numbers and will be able to access services available to British citizens, The Sunday Herald reported.

Mary Castles, assistant chief executive of North Lanarkshire Council, said the refugees will be encouraged to become independent and integrate into the community.

Other Scottish councils such as Aberdeenshire and the Western Isles have also expressed an interest in introducing the Gateway programme.

Sally Daghlian, chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, said she hoped North Lanarkshire Council "will inspire other Scottish local authorities to follow suit in giving some of the world's most vulnerable people a new start in life".