Refugee Week 2010
What is Refugee Week?
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.
Refugee Week 2010 will take place from 14th to 20th
June.
A short animation by the Refugee Council illustrates some of the
difficulties and hardships refused asylum seekers face every
day - click here to watch the
animation.
What sort of help do people need?
Over the past three years, Your Homes Newcastle has
been working with agencies across Newcastle to help people who have
had their claim for asylum refused. When asylum is
refused, people can be left destitute - homeless and
without any way of supporting themselves. It is estimated
that there are up to 300 people in Newcastle in this
situation.
Visit How do people become
destitute? to find out more about how people find
themselves in this position.
People still need food to survive and two voluntary projects in
Newcastle try to provide food to refused asylum seekers but
struggle to collect and distribute enough food.
How does YHN plan to support Refugee Week this year?
During Refugee Week this year, Your Homes Newcastle is asking
its staff to bring items of food and toiletries into work.
YHN has set up food collection points across its buildings,
including YHN House, NFS, Community Housing Offices across the
city, the Your choice homes property shop in the city centre and
the Unison office at the Civic Centre.
YHN staff are being encouraged to donate the following basic
toiletries and food:
|
Teabags
|
|
Small bags of sugar
|
|
Tinned tuna
|
|
Tinned beef
|
|
Tinned tomatoes
|
|
Tinned kidney beans
|
|
Tinned sweet corn
|
|
Tinned fruit
|
|
Tinned soup – not pork based
|
|
Rice and pasta
|
|
Toilet rolls
|
|
Toothpaste and toothbrushes
|
|
Deodorant
|
|
Shampoo
|
|
Soap
|
|
Shaving foam
|
|
Sanitary protection
|
|
Reusable plastic bags
|
|
|
|
|
All of the donated food and toiletries will be given to the
voluntary projects to distribute to those who need it.
There will also be a collection box in the reception of YHN
House, YHN's head office, during Refugee Week for staff to donate
their loose change. Any money collected will go directly
to supporting destitute refused asylum seekers.
Which voluntary projects will receive the food?
YHN will give the collected food and toiletries to the West
End Refugee Service (WERS) and the East Area Asylum Seekers Support
Group (EAASSG). To find out more about these projects you can
visit their websites at:
More information
If you would like to read more about refused asylum
seekers and destitution, you can download recent reports by
clicking on the links below:
You can also visit the Still Human Still Here website
at:
I want to do more - how can I help?
West End Refugee Service (WERS) and East Area Asylum
Seekers Support Group (EAASSG) also accept donations of clothing
and small household items - visit their websites (details above) to
find out how to donate. Both websites also give you
information about how to volunteer if you are interested.
If you want to do more, you can also fill in a
standing order form to financially support either the West End
Refugee Service (WERS) or the East Area Asylum Seekers Support
Group (EAASSG). Download the documents below for full
details about setting up a standing order to either project: