Breaking down barriers
West Norfolk has become a multi-cultural society, with more than 100 languages spoken on its streets, since the influx of migrant workers into the area.
Foreign workers have brought benefits to the local economy, but councils, health services and schools are under pressure to keep up with the speed of change and are seeking more help from central Government.
Jennifer Downie, from Norfolk Primary Care Trust, said: "Norfolk has Britain's largest population of Portuguese migrants outside London and has a fast-growing eastern European population, especially from Russia, Poland and Lithuania.
"It is vital that they receive appropriate support in order to have access to a range of health services and have a full understanding of their treatment and care.
"We issue language identification cards to all GP practices, NHS dentists, pharmacies and opticians.
"So if people can't speak English they can point to the language they speak which allows the health professional to call the appropriate interpretation service."
West Norfolk Council leader Nick Daubney said the authority had been lobbying Government for more help because of the increasing numbers of foreign workers settling in this area.
"It affects every area of community activity, with policing, schools, doctors and hospitals, and it's a huge cost," he said.
"It's been a big influx and because we are designated rural we always seem to be left in the queue for Government help. There are costs and it's unreasonable to expect local authorities to pick it all up without some assistance."
Mr Daubney's comments came as the Local Government Association, representing 400-plus councils in England and Wales, called on the Government to set up a 250 million contingency fund to help areas experiencing rapid population change through migration.
A report commissioned by the LGA recognised the significant benefits migrants bring to the economy but said public services in some parts of the country were coming under strain without sufficient funding to deal with the huge influx.
LGA chairman Sir Simon Milton said: "The report clearly demonstrates that migration is benefiting the country, generating in total more than 40 billion every year.
"The evidence shows that industries such as fruit picking and residential care would risk collapse without migrant labour.
"The problem is that the money that is being generated isn't necessarily finding its way back down to the local level. Much-needed funding for local services isn't getting to the right places."
Pat Kavanagh, western area police minority and ethnic liaison officer, said more than 100 languages were now being spoken in Norfolk schools, "and that's represented in the diversity of our culture here now".
He said: "Those cultures should be respected and not despised. People like Lynn Area Resettlement Support are doing an awful lot of work to break down the barriers."
PC Kavanagh said at least 22 countries were represented at the recent Around the World in 80 Dishes event at Lynnsport and it was a good example of the community coming together as more than 800 people dropped in.
Almost one in three of the children at Lynn's Highgate Infants School are not native English speakers. Seven different languages are spoken and there are Portuguese, Lithuanian, Latvian, Polish, Romanian, Brazilian and Vietnamese pupils.
Headteacher Christine Holden said it had brought a "rich diversity of cultures" and there was good understanding between the youngsters. A Wall of Friendship was recently created at the school as parents worked alongside the children in making bricks for the wall.
One of the teachers is from Pakistan and a parent who was a former teacher recently translated the school brochure into Russian. Mrs Holden would like to see a translation service to help the parents of different nationalities understand the school ethos and what is happening there.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Saturday 26 May 2012
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