I was honoured to have work featured in an exhibition by renowned artist Susan Aldworth featuring the imagined contents of the suitcase her grandmother brought with her when she was migrating from Northern Italy to London in 1924. Thirty-five individual antique clothes, including a nightgown that was in the original suitcase, are hand-embroidered with family photographs, stories and recipes. Suspended in mid-air, they highlight the transitory and emotional nature of an uprooted life.

Today, global migration and forced displacement are at a record high. In the UK, despite a rich history of positive migration impacts, hostile policies and increasing experiences of racism and discrimination have made it difficult for many of the people who migrate or seek sanctuary to feel that they belong. Despite these challenges, migrants and sanctuary seekers contribute to and are immensely enriching to our communities – culturally, educationally, economically, and through their work experiences and skills.