HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY AT WORLD OF WEDGWOOD
Asha was surprised and pleased b an unexpected invitation to a Holocaust Memorial lecture at the V&A Wedgwood.
Collection at Barlaston and accepted with alacrity.
Archives assistant Michael Ruddy gave an illuminating account of how members of the Wedgwood family and the pottery factory helped refugees throughout 1930s and 40s to escape Nazi persecution. Member of Parliament Colonel Josiah Clement Wedgwood rescued 200 people fleeing the Nazi regime and opened up his home at Moddershall Oaks to provide sanctuary. It became known as The Ark.
Those attending the lecture gave a voluntary donation to Asha and £100 was raised. Asha is grateful to staff at V&A Wedgwood Collection for choosing Asha to be the charity to benefit from this event. Four members of Asha’s staff and one volunteer, a refugee from Iran, said a few words about the charity’s work at the close of the evening.
ART WORKSHOPS
‘For the last 12 months I’ve been lucky enough to lead art workshops with refugees and asylum seekers for Appetite.
‘Appetite’s Lunch Club provides bi-weekly opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers to explore and develop their creativity through working with an array of artists as well as a social space to share food and experiences. We offer a session facilitator who provides support with translation and transport. The sessions are totally inclusive with families and friendship groups all welcome, and everything is free.
Our group has regular participants but also welcomes new members; we want to enable participants to feel part of something, like they’re engaging with people and are supported. The group have enjoyed outings to local exhibitions, plays and concerts. Our Lunch Club aims to nourish body, mind and soul!
‘Seeing trust, friendship & creatively blossom amongst a group who often don’t have a common language or background but connect through an enjoyment of making, storytelling & sharing lunch, has been one of the highlights of my art career.
Ian Mood
ASYLUM SUPPORT IS NOT ENOUGH TO LIVE ON
Banned from working from working asylum seekers rely on Asylum Support payments from the Home Office which are supposed to prevent destitution and provide for essentials.
Before 2008 Asylum Support rates tracked mainstream benefits; it was less money than mainstream benefits but increased at the same rate. Since then, the cost of essentials has gone up year on year and asylum support has barely reason. A decade and a half of flatlining means it was less in 2022 than it was in 2008.
This is why Asha’s provision of donated food and clothing is so important. It may not be much but it can often make all the difference.
From 15th January 2023 to 15th February 2023, 274 individuals/ families collected food from Asha and 76 had food home delivery, 113 attended a lunch club, and 277 received clothing.
Read the Sentinel article ”Welcome to Stoke” from 31 January 2022 in our Breaking News. It tells of how campaigners and well-wishing Stokies dished out clothes, food and toys to asylum seekers housed in a city centre hotel.
NEW ARRIVALS VOLUNTEER
Eager to channel their energy and time into something useful new arrivals offered to help out at Asha. Miriam and Ryn enjoyed organising an introductory session using games and icebreakers to help participants relax and get to know one another. The general requirements when acting as an Asha volunteer were explained and interest areas explored. There is now a Rota new arrival volunteers and a growing team spirit.
DO PEOPLE HAVE TO CLAIM IN THE FIRST COUNTRY THEY REACH?
Neither the 1951 Refugee Convention, nor EU law requires a person to claim asylum in the first safe country they reach. People trying to cross the Channel can legitimately claim asylum in the UK if they reach it.
The Dublin Regulations is a system which allows one EU country to require another to accept responsibility for a person who has claimed asylum when specific conditions apply, including that the person is shown to have previously made a claim of asylum in another EU country.
The intention is that asylum claims are then shared more evenly between EU countries.
The Dublin system only operates within the EU and it will almost certainly cease to apply to the UK following Brexit.
CONTACT US
Follow us on Facebook
Office: 01782 363122
Godfrey Seminega, Services Manager (works full-time): seminega@asha-uk.org
Jackie Gregory, Wellbeing Co-ordinator (works part-time Tuesday, Friday and occasional Saturdays): jackie@asha-uk.org
Lydia Mugoyikazi, Women’s Club Co-Ordinator and Caseworker (works part-time Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday): lydia@asha-uk.org
Helen Ranford, Finance and Administration (works Tuesday to Friday): helen.ranford@asha-uk.org
Facinet Keita, Digital Health/IT and Unaccompanied Young People Support Worker (works Monday to Thursday): keita@asha-uk.org
Tamba Musa, Asylum Guide, Social Inclusion and Men’sSupport Worker (works Tuesday to Saturday): tamba@asha-uk.org
Charity Reg. No. 11769634 (England & Wales) Company No. CE013097
