Where can I meet families like ours

[Matt18]

Hi,so we moved to Guildford from South Africa. I have a 7 and 5 year old.Oh and a 5month old.I am looking for places where I can meet other like families so my children get to see people who look like them.My daughter was placed in one of the village schools that has only 1 other child that looks like her.So id like to go to places on weekends that will have people of colour .Thanks

Except people like to make a point of coming into our spaces to stir up a bit of shit.

Op there are a couple of black/Afro hair salons in Woking.

I'm white so can't comment if they are any good, there's one on the high street and one in the shopping centre.

Woking isn't far from Guildford.

I know you were really asking about meeting people but that might be a start or at least help!

They do have another post where asking where to live. From what I can see one person said no to Guildford another said yes.

I'm black as well, moved to London from a predominantly black country and well...chose London. For many reasons, including ones that OP has listed. It's a valid question, because it's hard being a minority especially with children, so if there's a valid explanation as to why you'd pick a place where you stick out, that's worth saying so people stop asking.

Otherwise, London is vast, there's plenty of room and you don't have to pick places that are high rent/house prices for eg and you can still live a decent life

Where I live in Lincolnshire social services has just had a big recruitment drive in South Africa, so we now have a number of families moving here. They will find that in terms of diversity we're behind the curve, but constantly becoming more diverse, and as that happens we get more availability of shops etc. It's brilliant.

People questioning why Guildford - or Lincolnshire, or anywhere not a city - does it not occur to you that to move here from many countries requires sponsorship, which means you go where there is a job. I've just been through this with my DP.

Welcome to the UK OP, I hope you and your family settle in quickly.

It sounds hard, OP. I think this is why so many black and mixed families stay in the big cities, where they can access services they want/need and see other people who look like them.

London is, as others have said, the obvious answer. You won’t get as much bang for your buck with housing, but you’ll solve a lot of other issues overnight.

OPs original thread. Husband has a job in Guildford

Moving to Guildford | Mumsnet

Guildford isn't rural, it's a city!

OP here is a hairdresser in Guildford

instagram.com/houseofhairandbeauty?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

There's used to be a SA food shop too, I'll have a look if it's still open.

Thank you Wil look them up

Thank you, it does help.I am not good with hair at all and I want my daughter to look cute.She loves getting her hair done and its been a challenge finding a place.

Hi OP, just want to say welcome to the UK! 😊 Hope you and your family settle quickly.

The train to Clapham Junction is pretty good from Guildford, worth coming for a wander around to find what may suit. It's also not too far to drive from Guildford to Streatham which has various hair salons etc on the high street, similar to Brixton but a bit nearer to Guildford with more parking space. Re Peckham, watch the lovely film Rye Lane to get a nice sense of place

Thank you all for the positive responses.There is so much information here for that I will definitely use and so many recommend places that I will have to check out.

Oh I found the food shop.I was so excited.Its the little things that can make a new place feel like home

Thank you

I might be wrong but Guildford is not rural. YOU Asked "did you not appreciate this about a rural area "
Are you asking if I appreciated that there are no families that look like mine(Black )hence I moved to Guildford. Make me understand how this makes sense to you?

i was reading about the app Peanut yesterday which is supposed to be good for finding Mum friends. There is also MeetUps. Think that might be online too.

I’d also check out your local Facebook group if you are on that. In our area we have recently had a lot of people moving from Hong Kong and have seen people be put in touch with others on there.

I hate to state the obvious,we are in Guildford not because of preference.What gives you the impression I did not think of diversity?.I am actually staying in the most diverse part of Guildford as I was advised but there are still no black families well not as much.

I had to find some products on Amazon.Thank you for your reply because i really feel the same about them being in an integrated community.I have been given some locations and we will look at moving to one of those still close to Guildford

Thank you, let me try the app

Heaps of South Africans around Wimbledon and Earlsfield.

Black South Africans?