refugee-action Sign Up Information

Hi Emily,

Time and again you have stood up for the most vulnerable in our society, refusing to let refugees and people seeking asylum be left with nowhere to turn. Whether donating or calling on the Government to make urgent changes, you are helping prove that humanity can win.

 

Many of the people we work with were torn away from their friends and family, but thanks to the support we’ve received from people like you over the years, they had somewhere safe to turn during this crisis.

 

We know that this pandemic may have hit people who support us as well as those we support. We understand that some may not be able to donate at this time.

 

However, knowing that our supporters are standing by our side in this fight makes us so grateful. I hope you will join us to celebrate reaching the £50,000 fundraising target that we desperately needed to support people seeking safety during the coronavirus crisis. 

 

We took some time during a (virtual) staff meeting to record a message in appreciation of your support. Press play below to watch.

 

 

Of course, the new challenges caused by the crisis are not over and it looks like they will last longer than we could have expected. To continue providing the help people seeking asylum will need as this pandemic persists, we will be increasing the target for our Coronavirus Emergency Fund.

 

This will allow us to keep providing food, keep helping people access technology and find a safe place to stay, and above all help us push the Government to ensure people seeking safety are not forgotten during the worst crisis for decades.

 

Together we can be there for people in search of safety.

 

Thank you,

 

Stephen Hale

Chief Executive  

 

PS - if you haven’t had a chance to email your MP and ask them to increase the level of support people seeking sanctuary receive, there is still time, just follow this link.

Hi Emily,

Stories of desperate people crossing the channel to reach the UK have dominated news and social media these past few weeks. Of course we do not know the experiences, backgrounds and personal stories of every person trying to arrive in this way. But it is clear that many of them intend to claim asylum here. Our Government's response to date has been characterised by hostile rhetoric - not compassionate and effective solutions.

Most of us are fortunate enough to be unaware of what it’s like to have family members murdered, your home destroyed or to undergo torture. Many of these people are not. 

Before all of the debate about borders, safe countries, security and economics begins, we must start from a place of humanity. The people who are the subject of these debates are desperate. They have been through hell and need help.
 
Criminal trafficking is appalling exploitation and nobody should feel compelled to risk their life in a flimsy boat. But the reason why people do is absolutely not that the UK treats migrants too generously. The many stories we’ve shared with you of people struggling to survive, trapped in the UK’s inhumane asylum system for months or even years, make it abundantly clear that that is not the case. 

As an organisation that has supported and tried to protect the rights of refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK since 1981, you should not be surprised to know that we will never accept the demonisation of people seeking safety or the undermining of the fundamental right to claim asylum.

Limiting the number of people claiming asylum is not a prize to be won by racing to the bottom against other nations to be the most brutal. The Government could help put an end to boat crossings by creating more safe and legal routes for people fleeing violence and persecution to find safety here. Instead, it has gone quiet over the future of its resettlement programme or the expansion of family reunion - some of the few safe and legal routes it offered thousands of refugees every year. 

Rhetoric about ‘cracking down’ is dishonest about the prospect that doing so will change anything for the better. Add this to the fact that most of these vulnerable people have no access to reliable information about British rules and systems, and whether or not we’ve appointed a Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, and the idea of a deterrent is both a moral and practical failure. 

We believe that Britain is better than this. That refugees deserve better than this. We are absolutely committed to working with those who share our profound concern for the rights of people seeking asylum in the UK. We must stand up for asylum, for a future in which people who come to us seeking safety are treated with dignity and respect, not splashed over our front pages as if they are a greater threat than a global pandemic. 

With thanks,

Stephen Hale
Chief Executive

Hi Emily

Hi Emily,

Hi Emily,

Hi Emily,

Emily, they’re listening. 

Last month we asked you to speak up for the refugees stuck in dangerous limbo because the UK had still not restarted its resettlement programme. Almost 6,000 of our amazing supporters wrote to their MP asking them to encourage the Government to act.  

Last week the Government did just that by announcing it would restart resettlement as soon as possible and committing to welcome the 230 refugees due to arrive in the UK in March 2020. 

To those 230 refugees, this means everything. They can finally rebuild their lives in safety after waiting, bags packed, for over eight months. We know that our collective campaigning efforts had a direct impact on the Government’s decision.  

This isn’t the only good news we’ve had this week. This afternoon, there will be a debate in Parliament on the right to work for people seeking asylum. This comes just a few weeks after we handed in our 180,000-signature strong Lift the Ban petition which supporters like you helped us grow over the last two years.   

These achievements prove that we can win if we keep working together. They also show us how much more there is to do.  

The UK committed to resettle an additional 5,000 refugees between April 2020 and March 2021. So far, the Home Office has been silent on whether they will fulfil this promise, or what the future of resettlement will look like beyond next year. We won’t stop until that promise is fulfilled and we know the UK can look forward to a proud future protecting refugees.   

And although we’ve shown the Government that thousands upon thousands of people believe the cruel ban on work for people seeking asylum should be lifted, they have not yet acted. So, we will not stay silent. You can follow us on Twitter this afternoon to see updates from the debate as it happens, and we will continue to keep you updated here as we see the results of your action.  

We believe the UK has a proud future of welcoming and protecting refugees. Thank you for sharing this vision. 

Mariam
Head of Campaigns

Hello Emily,

This year, Christmas is going to be different.  

2020’s Christmas may have new rules that limit how we can see our loved ones. But for people like me, big family Christmases were already an almost forgotten memory. After being forced to flee Georgia, my family and I spent six years trapped in the endless stress of the asylum process. Even before the pandemic, it was impossible not to feel lonely. 

We struggled to build friendships outside our family and were forced to keep moving to different places, never anywhere long enough to truly call it home. Back in Georgia, we were sociable and always loved having people around us. Here we felt isolated and alone. 

For people still trapped in the asylum system feelings of isolation are nothing new. That’s why I’m asking if you can help them to feel less lonely this Christmas.  

Will you help people seeking safety with a Christmas gift of £20? It could fund a months’ worth of phone data so they can access the internet and connect not only with their loved ones, but with vital services too.

Dear Emily,

I couldn’t believe it either. Turning on the radio each morning has become a very anxious moment as my heart prepares to sink with yet more bad news. But today was different. At first I thought, or hoped, I’d misheard. No, it was crystal clear: Home Office Ministers have considered removing people who arrive in the UK seeking asylum, and detaining them on Ascension Island, a remote, volcanic island in the middle of the Atlantic, 4,000 miles from Great Britain. 

Hi Emily

Hi Emily,

Last week we called on you to email your MP and demand that the Government restarts the resettlement flights that offer safe and legal routes to sanctuary in the UK. Nearly 3,000 of our supporters have already contacted their representative. You can join our call by clicking here.

You may remember that we introduced you to Bonheur last month. What we didn’t mention is that Bonheur arrived in the UK because of the Government’s commitment to refugee resettlement. The Government should urgently restart programmes like the Vulnerable Person’s Resettlement Scheme. Launched in 2014 and expanded in 2015, the scheme aimed to welcome 20,000 refugees by 2020.

Bonheur fled his home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to escape ongoing conflict and war. After leaving his home he sought refuge in neighbouring Burundi. He wanted to find his sister who had fled eight years earlier. After reuniting, they spent two years in a Refugee camp where resources simply didn’t provide for the growing numbers of people seeking safety. It was only when they were resettled to the UK with refugee status that Bonheur and his sister could start to move forward.

“We were waiting a long period to get to a safer country. So I was very happy. I can't thank Refugee Action enough they are amazing. When refugees get here from different countries with different cultures, we don't know anything we have start from zero.

"They introduced us to people, to the culture, the education system. Everything. My basic understanding of the UK started with Refugee Action. Everything I know about this country I learned because their work and support.” 

It was because of the UK's commitment to resettlement that Bonheur and his sister were able to start a new chapter. 

“I’ve been in tough situations…my experiences help me understand what people are going through.” 

Bonheur started working as a Mental Health Support Worker during the coronavirus lockdown, pushing aside concerns about his own health so that he could support people more vulnerable in the pandemic. Bonheur decided to juggle 12-hour shifts with studying to become a GP, his longterm ambition. 

“I couldn’t just stay at home because I was scared of the pandemic... I want to make a difference in the world. I just want to help people. I feel like my life matters when I can make a difference to people, to make them smile. I work with people who are going through tough situations or illnesses or stress, who hate their lives. They need someone to give them emotional and mental support.”

It's incredibly clear what a good thing it has been for both Bonheur and the UK for him to be resettled here.

We cannot leave people trapped in limbo. Everyone who’s fled war or persecution deserves a chance for a new beginning and an opportunity to redefine their future like Bonheur has. Email your MP today and join us in calling for the resettlement flights that make these transformations possible to get up and running once again.

Thank you,  

Lou
Head of Resettlement

Dear Emily,

Best wishes,

William 

P.S. How have you been entertaining yourself during lockdown? My family have been doing karaoke!

Hi Emily,

Thank you for helping people like me.  

I have been living as an asylum seeker for the last seven years, after fleeing a forced marriage and domestic abuse in East Africa. I have lived with no means to provide for myself and with no right to work. I have experienced homelessness, poverty and struggled with my mental health. I feel that the system has failed me. I never want anyone else to experience the hardships I faced. This is why I joined Refugee Action as an expert by experience.  

It is because of your kindness that refugees and people seeking asylum have a fighting chance to survive the harsh realities of the asylum process. 

Dear Emily,

It’s official. Donald Trump will no longer be the President of the United States, from January 2021. After four days of agonising uncertainty, the final announcement was a huge relief. At last, this chapter is closing. We all owe an immense debt to all those who worked tirelessly to achieve this result, and helped to bring about a new era.
 
As President, Donald Trump regularly expressed hatred towards refugees and people seeking asylum, and introduced many policies that were lethally damaging to their rights and interests. When these attitudes, and their appalling effects on people’s lives, were championed by the most powerful person on the planet we couldn’t, and didn’t, stay silent. And neither did you. 

Over the last four years, when Trump was at his worst, you stepped up. You showed your support for refugees all the more passionately. You fought with us to build bridges, not walls. 

Trump and his administration restricted the right to claim asylum, detained and separated families from their children and demonised vulnerable people throughout his entire term. He banned refugees from specific muslim-majority countries, using racist lies to package this heartless discrimination as an attempt to make Americans safer.

We have seen similar measures and tactics replicated to divide people for political gain all over the world, including in our own country. His failure to be re-elected will empower and strengthen the global movement to reject these ideas.

But of course there is so much work to do. We hope that this moment is the high-water mark for Trump’s brand of hateful politics and an undermining of any foothold it has here in the UK. The future belongs to leaders and policy-makers who care about, and show their humanity to, the millions of people around the world in search of safety.

It is a long road to the UK taking an approach that saves lives and respects the dignity of people seeking safety. A world that cherishes all of the wonderful things that can happen when refugees are truly welcomed. Trump’s removal is the first step. 

Thank you for being with us all the way.

With thanks,
Stephen Hale
Chief Executive

Hi Emily,

1. Dream up your 2.6 Challenge 
2. Sign up here
3. Ask all your friends and family to sponsor you and challenge them to do their own 2.6 Challenge
4. Complete your challenge
5. Share a photo or video of your challenge on social media

Don't forget to use #TwoPointSixChallenge and tag Refugee Action when you share your challenge so we can celebrate your efforts too! 

Hi Emily,

Hi Emily

We’ve been so encouraged by the incredible response from supporters to our Coronavirus Emergency Fund. Thousands of people have stood up to say that they will not let this crisis bring further danger and hardship to the lives of people seeking safety in the UK.

Hi Emily

Hi Emily

Dear Emily,

Best wishes,

Stephen Hale OBE
Chief Executive

Hi Emily

Can you spare one minute of your time to help us secure £100,000 for child refugees?

Hi Emily

Banned from working, even in a time of crisis.  

Even when it’s costing the Government nearly £100m per year.  

Banned from working, even though it’s stripping people of their dignity, of their chance to integrate, to contribute, to feel part of society. People seeking asylum in the UK still do not have the right to work, forcing them to survive on just £5.66 per day in Asylum Support payments. 

Does that make sense to you? 

Today we’ve released our latest report with the Lift the Ban coalition, providing overwhelming evidence that giving people seeking asylum the right to work is just common sense.

Hi Emily,

Hi Emily,

Dear Emily,

Today, like many of you, we read with despair the news that a 16 year old child has died in his attempt to cross the Channel. 

This is an utterly tragic and unnecessary loss of a child’s life. We are deeply saddened by this news, and our thoughts are with the boy’s family and friends. 

Almost five years ago, the world awoke to see one of the most shocking images in living memory. The body of three-year-old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi, washed up on a Turkish beach. Five years on, these tragedies have not stopped. The hateful rhetoric has not stopped. No solutions have been found. 

Tough talk will do nothing to stop desperate people, including children, risking their lives to find safety here. 
 
The Home Secretary’s comments fail to recognise the UK has a legal obligation and a moral responsibility to protect people fleeing war and persecution. Early reports indicate that the child was from Sudan - a country with significant risks. He had a legal right to claim asylum in the UK. It should not have cost him his life. 
 
If this Government is serious about saving lives, reducing the number of people taking risks and stopping criminal traffickers, then urgent action must be taken to adopt more safe and legal routes for people to seek refuge in the UK. 
 
It must restart its resettlement programme immediately, which has supported thousands of refugees to make a new life in the UK. 

Today’s tragedy must never be repeated. No one, especially a child, should have to die trying to reach our shores. We must stand up for asylum and show that humanity can win.

With thanks,
Lou
Resettlement Team

Hi Emily,

Hi Emily,

Dear Emily,

Whether or not you are able to be with your loved ones tomorrow, I hope that you have a festive day spent somewhere safe and warm. 

This has been one of the most challenging years we’ve ever faced. The pandemic put already vulnerable people at extreme risk. We witnessed some of the most targeted and hostile rhetoric demonising people seeking safety from the Home Office and the media. Now, we are seeing attacks on the very principal of asylum, as well as hundreds of people being forced into prison-like conditions. 

At the height of the coronavirus crisis, we called on you for your support and you stepped up. Even though many of you were facing unprecedented challenges yourselves. More than 2,000 people donated, giving a lifeline of support to refugees and people seeking asylum. Thanks to you, we were able to set up remote services showing people seeking safety they were not forgotten.  

But today we face a completely different type of emergency, and despite the fact it is Christmas Eve, I once again need to call on your support. Last week I emailed you about the crisis in asylum accommodation, and the people being forced to live in disused army barracks. Every day we are finding out more about the squalid, crowded and unsafe conditions these people are trapped in, and every day we are becoming more alarmed. 

We are campaigning for the urgent release of everyone from the barracks into safe accommodation where they can access the medical and legal support they desperately need.

Will you support this urgent work?