"A quilt is a hug," says Gayle Pearson, ESOL literacy tutor at English Language Partners, "and some of my learners can really benefit from a hug."
Last Thursday, members of the Waikato Patchworkers and Quilters Guild presented 47 handmade quilts and two crocheted baby rugs to ESOL students at the Hamilton Migrant Resource Centre.
The ESOL students are the folks Gayle Pearson fondly refers to as her "learners". They are newcomers to New Zealand - migrants and refugees from many countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Djibouti, Somalia, Laos and Myanmar, who are students of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).
The quilts were gratefully received, as many of the migrant and refugee families are in particular need of warmth this winter as Hamilton has been delivering record cold temperatures.
Belinda vander Vossen, Community Quilts coordinator at the Waikato Patchworkers and Quilters Guild, said the donation of quilts to charities in the community is something the members do regularly throughout the year. However, it's not often she is able to personally present the quilts to a recipient group.
Belinda presented the quilts individually to the learners and their families, having a representative from each family take their turn to receive their quilt and hold it up for everyone to see.
"It gave me goosebumps", said Belinda. "We don't usually get to see the quilts actually being received like this. Everybody was so happy and thankful. It makes me feel humble."
Gayle Pearson and the other tutors and staff at the Migrant Resource Centre have a close bond with their ESOL learners. Gayle says the donation of quilts will mean a lot to the learners and their families.
"I love my learners," says Gayle, who has been an ESOL tutor for eight years. "It means a lot to them [the learners] to realise that there are people in the community who want to do something for them."
Gayle says working as an ESOL tutor doesn't only mean teaching people to speak English. She is also a friend, a mentor and a guide to her learners as they cut their path in their new country. She says the Hamilton community is largely very welcoming of newcomers and her learners are grateful for that welcoming spirit and are happy to be settled in Hamilton.
"It can be hard, especially for the ladies who are on their own without husbands," says Gayle.
ESOL courses, for teachers and students, are run from the Migrant Resource Centre on Boundary Rd, Claudelands. The centre also provides information and community services for migrants and refugee communities, such as help with getting a driver's licence, understanding the tax system or looking for work.