Refugee Week is a UK-wide programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK, and encourages a better understanding between communities.

To mark Refugee Week and to support destitute asylum seekers in our area, YHN's Asylum Seekers Unit set up food collection points across our offices.  This was to give YHN and Newcastle City Council staff the opportunity to donate food and toiletries which would be given to two voluntary projects (West End Refugee Service - WERS, and Common Ground) in Newcastle. 

The voluntary projects will give the food to destitute asylum seekers who do not have any access to Government support and therefore cannot buy their own food.

Thirteen large boxes of food and toiletries at an estimated value of £700 were donated to support destitute asylum seekers in the city, who, without support like this, would have nothing to live on.

The collection was organised by the Asylum Seekers Unit who received assistance from the Facilities Management team to collect and transport the donations.

The two charities have both expressed their gratitude for this amazing effort by staff, stating that ‘donations such as these play a vital role in the support of destitute asylum seekers’ in the city.

It makes a real difference to people’s lives – read on to see how:

A woman was referred to WERS in January 2006 when her state support and accommodation was withdrawn following a refusal on her asylum claim.  She received £5, food and toiletries from WERS until the following May when WERS was in a position to increase the weekly payment to £10. She was in poor health but did not meet the criteria to receive support under the National Assistance Act.  WERS offered her counselling and she attended sessions for a period of two years.  In 2009 WERS was able to refer her to Action Foundation (previously Open Door) for accommodation where she has since been able to stay. She is one of the lucky ones – many do not have anywhere to live. WERS continues to support her with a little cash, food and toiletries.  She does not know how long this situation will last.  The hardship fund payments, food and the emotional support from WERS over the last four and half years have been a lifeline.

A married couple’s asylum claim was rejected back in 2004 and WERS started to support them with food and payments from the hardship fund.  The woman has both physical and mental health problems and a little extra money was given to cover the weekly travel to the hospital during her treatment.  Over the years WERS has helped the couple in many ways:  giving them moral and practical support, arranging for the couple to report less frequently at Immigration at North Shields while the wife was in hospital, faxing important documents to the country’s High Commission and writing letters of support to try to get them more help.  WERS has helped this couple with cash, food and toiletries for over 6 years.  They try to stay with friends wherever possible, but their life has been on hold for so long and they remain in a state of limbo.