Faith leaders speak out for Afghan pilot
Suella Braverman has been formally accused of breaching the UK barristers’ code with “racist sentiments and discriminatory narratives” about asylum seekers, reports The Guardian. Lawyers and faith organisations have lodged a complaint with the Bar Standards Board, which has a duty to examine the conduct of qualified barristers. Although Braverman has not practised as a barrister since becoming an MP in 2015, she is still subject to its rules. The letter cites Braverman’s warning that 100 million asylum seekers would come to the UK were it not for her planned immigration crackdown and that people crossing the Channel have values …
Introducing Steve Smith MBE, Care4Calais’ CEO
Today we’re proud to introduce Steve Smith MBE as the CEO of Care4Calais. Steve joins us after spending many years doing incredible and much-admired work to help refugees and the victims of armed violence around the world. Having begun his career as a military officer, he has made it his personal mission in life to help people suffering in the ways that he has seen first hand. “Having served in several war zones, I know what it’s like to be shot at, and to see bombs going off nearby. I know what it’s like to be afraid. “But I always …
Thank you, Clare
Eight years ago, Clare Moseley read a story about refugees in Calais, and cared so much that she immediately went to France and began helping them as a volunteer. As a volunteer she worked all hours, every day, and stayed on in Calais for months. Eventually she founded Care4Calais, a charity that would enable thousands of other volunteers to care for refugees just like she did. Without her, many of the most vulnerable people on earth would not have had food, clothing, shelter, legal support, friendship, or restored dignity. And we, the team at Care4Calais would not be here now …
An announcement from our founder
After seven and a half years, I am leaving Care4Calais. When I first arrived in Calais I had no intention of setting up a charity; I could not have imagined one which now supports thousands of people seeking asylum in the UK as well as refugees in northern France. Over the last few years I have been proud to volunteer alongside so many fantastic people who support some of the most vulnerable in our society. I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. I also want to thank everyone who has donated, whether money …
Meet Pavel and Monir, our farmer-refugees
The Sutton Community Farm in south London is incredibly kind to the refugees we support, donating baskets of delicious fresh fruit and vegetables for us to distribute in hotels. This is great as there is often a shortage of wholesome fresh food provided. Sometimes refugees go down to the farm with Seema, our South West London volunteer, to help carry the baskets of goods. The farm volunteers are so friendly, and at the weekend one of them, Sonia, noticed that Pavel and Monir were interested in the work that was going on. She downed tools to give them a guided …
The Illegal Migration Bill and the politics of fear
This week the House of Commons passed a new law that is terrifying in its potential. The Illegal Migration bill will allow this Government to detain and forcibly deport thousands of refugees, simply for having the temerity to ask for asylum in the UK. Its restrictions on people’s rights are truly chilling. The consequences will be appalling, but we must first understand how it came to pass in the first place. Its roots lie in the Brexit campaign’s politics of fear. In 2016, Leave campaigners instilled a terror of migration with billboards showing 1,000s of refugees supposedly marching supposedly towards …
Refugees abused and attacked in Knowsley
“The gang attacked me when I was out walking in Liverpool with my friend. First they shouted insults, and when we didn’t do anything, they spat on us instead. When we still did nothing, they threw a heavy bike at our backs. “Then we ran for our lives.” “My name is Fadi, and I am 20-year-old Syrian refugee. Until recently, I was living in the Suites Hotel in Knowsley on Merseyside, which was attacked in February. “My ordeal happened a few weeks after that. My friend Abbas and I were walking near some shops when we noticed five men watching …
Refugees flee war in Sudan
Like countless Sudanese people living outside the country, our friend Khalid is terrified for his family. His parents and sister have left their home in Khartoum and are travelling to seek shelter with relatives in another city. “Their home was on fire as they were leaving their street. They couldn’t stay in Khartoum because there is no water, no electricity, no medicine, no safe place anywhere. “Even in cities where there is no fighting, the war makes people desperate because there is no food, no resources of any kind. Yesterday I called my mum and said I would send money …
Use our tool to write to your MP now!
It’s time to take a stand. On Wednesday MPs will debate the Illegal Migration Bill for the final time in the House of Commons before it moves on to the House of Lords. Can we say we did all we could to stand against it? Please take action by writing to your MP urgently now. Use our simple tool. It takes just two minutes. If the government truly wanted to “stop the boats” they would give safe passage to those in Calais who have viable asylum claims. Please help us to tell MPs there really is a more effective way …
How our volunteers helped refugee Shakib
This is Shakib, an Iraqi refugee studying chemistry at Hull University. Our volunteers met him just a few months ago living in Napier Barracks. Growing up in Iraq, Shakib lived with temperatures reaching over 50 degrees, regular serious flooding and other climate-related disasters. Iraq is among the countries most vulnerable to climate-change disruptions and this made him want to use his passion for chemistry to study ways of fighting climate change, so he enrolled as a chemistry student at university. He was mid-way through his studies when he had to flee the country last year. Arriving in the UK the …
