BBC
Eunice Wun runs Café by Hongkongers in Acocks Green, where she enjoys educating locals about what’s happening in Hong Kong
Thousands of Hong Kong residents have chosen to settle in Solihull, near Birmingham, since the British government introduced a new visa in the wake of a controversial Chinese security law.
The BBC set out to find out why weather, work culture and soft water are important to the city’s newest residents.
Every Wednesday, a large group of expats from Hong Kong gather at 852 Spaces Cafe in Solihull.
They chat, play board games and practice English with volunteers serving hot drinks.
“We want to provide a safe and relaxing opportunity for Hong Kong people to connect,” said organizer Rory Chu.
“We left our homes, we left our friends, we left our families. We all have trauma.
“But we are here together to support each other.”
Rory Chu’s projects include weekly cafes in Birmingham and Solihull and weekend badminton and basketball groups for children
Former banker Joey Tam, 42, chose the neighborhood for its schools and low crime rate.
“We have a fourteen-year-old daughter,” she says. ‘The whole education system is very different here.
“It’s more relaxed. In Hong Kong it’s very tense, a lot of homework, a lot of exams.”
Meanwhile, Joanne Wong, 51, followed a friend who sent her videos of the area and helped find a flat.
“When I arrived, I was very excited,” she says. “It’s a very peaceful city.”
The municipality has used one dedicated worker to help recent arrivals with essentials such as housing, health care and job hunting.
Solihull’s Methodist Church, UK Welcomes Refugees, Be Water and West Midlands Hongkongers are among organizations offering local support.
Despite having previously studied in the UK, Joey has struggled to find work and is grateful for the council’s advice.
“It’s an obstacle for Hong Kongers to find the jobs we did,” she says.
Solihull Council
A Mid-Autumn Festival was held at Touchwood shopping center in Solihull in September
Joanne has had better luck picking up seasonal contracts in stores.
“(Solihull Council) has helped me with the exercise before so I learn interview technique and dress code,” she says.
“I think this is a very good start for me to gain work experience in Britain.”
Now that twelve hours a day is the norm in her home country, she finds British working life more relaxed.
“In Britain, even the manager is very nonchalant,” she says. “I really like this culture.”
“British people are very cold,” Rory agrees. ‘Local people like to chat.
“(Supermarket) cashiers just stand there and chat, it doesn’t matter if there’s a long line.”
Reuters
Hong Kongers say they miss the bright lights of their city, where hundreds of people are jailed under national security laws
He is impressed by his children’s teachers who have created flashcards with Cantonese words written phonetically.
At the same time, he explains, Hong Kong parents are learning to cope without domestic help.
‘Many people in Hong Kong have a maid who cooks, cleans and takes the children to school.
“Here we are the driver, we are the teacher, we are the maid, we do everything.”
Black Orange is named after the owner’s favorite drink, made from espresso and orange juice
The nearby Black Orange cafe has introduced residents to Hong Kong-style crispy buns and milk tea.
Owners Amy Chen and Marcus Lee first settled in Birmingham, but chose Solihull as a more affordable place to set up shop.
Amy also likes the soft water in the area. “It’s better,” she says. “For drinking and for maintenance.”
Formerly a flight attendant, she started a business after realizing British salaries were lower than those back home.
She and Marcus worked part-time at local coffee shops to learn the ropes and perfect the art of YouTube latte.
“We spent a lot on milk,” she laughs.
She also perfects the art of patience. “Local people tend to work in a very relaxed way, but in Hong Kong we are very pushy. We do everything chop chop.”
Amy estimates that around 60% of café customers are British: “I wasn’t quite sure if they would like our flavors, but they do.”
Hong Kong dishes on the menu at Black Orange café and bakery
Back at 852 Spaces Cafe, held at The Snooty Pooch, Joanne describes Solihull as a friendly place.
“It’s a very peaceful city,” she says. “If I encounter any problems, local people will actively help me.”
Joey broadly agrees: “There is some discrimination, but not much.”
She remembers her father experiencing prejudice when he took the bus into town.
“He would sometimes meet people who would play pranks on him or say something,” she said.
‘He’s doing well because he knows it’s inevitable. We are foreigners coming to your house.”
Sarah-Amie Treanor welcomes and supports Hong Kongers at The Snooty Pooch
Cafe owner Sarah-Amie Treanor says locals are starting to understand why the Hong Konger community has grown.
“Now it is very positive. In the beginning we had a lot of questions,” she says.
She recruits Hong Kong volunteers and teaches English language classes.
Meanwhile, Rory teaches British volunteers a few words of Cantonese.
“It helps to show (Hong Kongers) that we do want them here,” Sarah-Amie said.
Councilor Wazma Qais says the authority is “delighted” to welcome Hong Kongers to Solihull.
The cabinet member for communities added that the community’s culture, celebrations and traditions “enrich our lives and bring our community closer together”.
Last September, Touchwood Shopping Center hosted a Mid-Autumn Festival, an important celebration in Hong Kong’s calendar.
Meanwhile, further festivities are planned for the Lunar New Year in January.
Teresa Lo
Teresa Lo describes the Hongkonger community as “strong”, smart and efficient, rich in ideas and gossip
Teresa Lo helps the council brainstorm ideas to support her community and also volunteers to teach locals about her culture.
She previously worked in the financial sector for an international law firm and recently found a job in the NHS.
“Manchester is cold, London is expensive. That’s why I chose Birmingham,” she laughs.
She is proud to have set up a neighborhood watch program that connects the flats in Solihull.
“In the long term I will stay in Britain. I don’t think Hong Kong will be any better later.”
Reuters
Protests took place in London in November in support of 45 pro-democracy activists sentenced to prison by the Hong Kong High Court
A few miles away in Acocks Green, Solihull resident Eunice Wun serves bowls of beef satay and spicy pork macaroni at Café by Hongkongers.
“Local people… I like to tell them what’s happening in Hong Kong,” she says.
The former investment banker left her city weeks after the visa policy was changed.
In Britain she started one YouTube channeland gave tips to other potential settlers.
“Many customers tell me that my YouTube helped them come here and visit me in my café,” she says. “I’m very happy with that.”
On her recommendation, her siblings have also since moved to Solihull.
“It’s better than I expected because the people are so nice,” she says.
“I didn’t feel any discrimination. I just feel like they’re very helpful.
“Hong Kong used to be like that, but it’s not like that anymore.”
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