When Syrian national Omar Ahmad was hiding from the bombs raining down on his home in Aleppo in 2013 he had a simple dream: to escape from the hell of the war engulfing his country and lead his wife and three children to safety.
Now, with the care offered to him and other Syrian families by Cheshire West and Chester Council, Omar has a new dream: to open a Syrian cake shop at Cheshire Oaks retail park.
Syrian families have been flown over to different parts of the UK by the British Government since December 2016 as part of a five-year refugee programme to rescue the most vulnerable victims of the Syrian war.
It has been a long and stressful journey to a safer life, but its now around a year since Omar first arrived in Ellesmere Port.
He said: “There is nothing left of Aleppo. I’m very sad, there is nothing left of my country.
“When the war started I was in my house and the bombs were coming down on top of us. I was very scared all of the time.
“I never spoke English before I came here but now I am able to speak some English. I do understand people in shops.
“I was really happy to be here when I got here. I came from a different way of life but the people here have been wonderful.”
He added: “The council has helped me since I have been here and as other Syrians have arrived they are getting better at helping the families and finding translators for them.
“The council has helped us to meet people and have been encouraging us to volunteer and giving us English lessons. I volunteer at a farm for four hours a week.
“I was a tailor in Syria with 25 years-experience making coats. I am looking for a job in a factory or a warehouse but in the future I want to be self-employed.
“My dream is to open a store in Cheshire Oaks. I want to sell Syrian cakes or sweets there.
“I have seen lots of Arabic people in Cheshire Oaks and they like Syrian sweets. English people will like Syrian sweets too, they are very tasty.”
Cllr Angela Claydon, cabinet member for housing, said: “Cheshire West and Chester Council and its partners are preparing to welcome more families to the borough from Syria in the coming months and the partnership is well equipped to aid their integration.
“It is important that Syrian people feel welcome here. They are being given support by Cheshire West and Chester Council and our partners to become valuable members of our community, which will go a small way to alleviating the trauma which they have experienced in war-torn Syria.”
