CARING Cumbrians are coming together online today to help Syrian refugees make a success of their new life in the county.

Joining an estimated 40,000 volunteers worldwide, they are taking part in Mitzvah Day, an international day of action supporting an initiative to help the refugees learn to drive, boosting their employment chances and reducing social isolation.

The volunteers are providing one-to-one online tuition, helping refugees master driving theory.

They are also contributing to Zoom video sessions to help create 'Driving Vocabulary e-learning resources'.

The event - dubbed Minutes for Miles - involves a host of partners, including Carlisle Refugee Action Group, West Cumbria Refugee Support Network, and local advanced drivers, said organiser Abigail Mann. “It's not about politics and it's not about religion," said Abigail, 49, who has organised Mitzvah Day events for four years.

"We're human beings.

"In the 1940s, Cumbria was doing this kind of thing for the Jewish community.

"In the Jewish community, we all know somebody who escaped from Europe. It's really important that we try to stop history repeating itself.

"I hadn't met any of the Syrian refugees in Cumbria four years ago when I took them to Hawkshead for the day.

"It was life-changing.

"There were Syrians in tears because there were people there they hadn't seen since being in Syria and everybody had had such a horrific time."

Abigail said she is overwhelmed by the level of local support.

"In these unprecedented times," she said, "we've managed to show we can all work together to support those less fortunate than ourselves and make a lasting difference to people’s lives, even though we can’t be with them in person.”

Cumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall is supporting Minutes for Miles.

He said: "Working together and supporting one another, no matter what our faith, gender, ethnicity or culture is, creates stronger communities and therefore safer communities.

“Many of us take the ability to drive for granted but a driving licence and access to a car provides an enormous amount of personal freedom and choice.

“Minutes for Miles really gives all refugees living in Carlisle the opportunity to develop their driving skills and eventually will open more doors for them in terms of employment, social events, shopping and health visits."

George Cairns, Chief Observer for Carlisle and West Cumbria Advanced Motorists, has spent part of his lockdown tutoring refugees online. He described Minutes for Miles was a "gateway to employment and social mobility".

George added: "We have seen through this programme that it provides the refugees with tremendous confidence in themselves, and their ability to overcome many hurdles with the English language. Teaching them is humbling.”

One refugee who passed her test thanks to the programme said: “Life before passing my driving test was too difficult. With help from Minutes for Miles, I learnt the UK’s road rules and

passed my driving test, which was difficult. I now feel happy and safe and I can now go to the supermarkets, parks and travel even to Manchester.”

Adrienne Gill, from Carlisle One World Centre, which runs Carlisle Refugee Action Group, said: “We are really excited about this new project to help refugees with their driving skills and are also delighted to be taking part in Mitzvah Day this year as part of our ongoing interest in inter-faith communication and activity.”