UNHCR opens office in Calais
The UN High Commission for Refugees has opened an office in Calais to give information and support to 2,000 people sleeping rough in the area.
The Telegraph: Fears over migrants as UN returns to Calais
BBC News: UN to help advise Calais refugees
Children’s Society report criticises pilot returns scheme
A report by The Children’s Society called a pilot government scheme in 2007 to help families of refused asylum seekers return home a ‘missed opportunity’ that had failed due to mismanagement of the project and unrealistic expectations of the families.
“They were given initially seven days to sell all their possessions, take the decision to leave home, take their children out of school and move to a centre that they knew very little about,” said Lisa Nandy, policy adviser for the charity.
The charity called on the government to learn lessons from the scheme.
Children’s Society press release: Alternative to detention pilot 'a missed opportunity'
The Guardian: £1m asylum return scheme helped one family
The Independent: One success only for asylum seekers scheme
MP pledges support to Let Them Work Campaign
Hornsey and Wood Green MP Lynne Featherstone met with young refugees in North London as part of Save the Children’s Brighter Futures project and pledged to fight for them to be allowed to work.
The MP said meeting the young people was inspirational but had also made her angry:
“When waiting for a decision that will determine their entire future, they have no chance to live a normal life and to build up the self-esteem and sense of pride that you get from education and from working. That’s not right and that’s not fair.”
Haringey Independent: MP backs fair rights for young asylum seekers
Refugees welcome here, say London banners
The London City of Sanctuary group took banners around some of the city’s most famous landmarks , including Lord’s Cricket Ground and the London Eye, as a way of welcoming refugees to the city.
BBC News: Refugee supporters unfurl banners
Comedian talks about her refugee experiences
Shappi Khorsandi gave an interview to the Daily Mirror in which she talked about how her family had to flee Iran due to her father’s political activism and satire.
Daily Mirror: My family fled the mullahs for Britain.. they sent a death squad after us
Saving Sanctuary exhibition opens at Sheffield Cathedral
A new photography exhibition includes the stories of those who have fled terrible situations in Darfur, Zimbabwe and Kosovo with portraits of British people explaining where they find sanctuary.
Yorkshire Post: Sanctuary theme for cathedral exhibition
