Last drop-in before the summer break saw the children playing, the craft table in full flow, and lots of goodies from @cityharvestnyc.bsky.social @vodafonegroup.bsky.social and others to distribute. See you all in September #refugeeswelcome

They could save the money on enforcing this by letting asylum seekers work.

@refugeeweek.bsky.social continues in #Ealing with our communities joining together to make art speak for us… alongside #UWL students… bringing colour and joy

Wonderful @RefugeeWeek fun at @johnperrynps yesterday. And they were so pleased to see Z, our lovely volunteer barber, offering free haircuts to young (mostly) and old. #refugeeswelcome

Integrating different cultures as two of our asylum-seekers leave today’s drop-in with a generous haul of groceries courtesy of @felixprojectuk and @CityHarvest_LDN #refugeeswelcome

Lots of young children at our drop-in this week. Early half-term? Luckily we had plenty for them to do, including the famous, free haircuts. Z will be snipping more at @johnperrynps @RefugeeWeek celebration. #refugeeswelcome

Lovely to see people volunteering to prepare the best roast potatoes in west London. Whatever else our brilliant cooks serve, there’s ALWAYS roast potatoes (most asylum-seekers can’t access ovens, so a real treat) We need a LOT - enough for 100 or more each week. #refugeeswelcome

All ready for our big clothes and (about 25) suitcases to #Ealing’s asylum seekers & refugees tomorrow. Thanks to @Goods4Good, #BigYellow, other donors & volunteers/new volunteers from @opdc.bsky.social

Good to be part of the launch of #Ealing becoming a Borough of Sanctuary. So proud of one of our asylum-seekers, who spoke no English when she arrived, learnt only with us for a year, making a speech in English to a full hall including Ealing’s mayor & @blerinahashani.bsky.social #RefugeesWelcome

Our barber had such a busy day yesterday… several chaps (as usual), a couple of kids wanting sharp, razor cuts, and Ros: pillar of the church who leads our art, knitting and crocheting activities. She emerged looking very smart and tidy #refugeeswelcome

There’s a first time for everything. This Thursday we tried out a choir (not a church choir, just a happens-to-be-in-a-church choir!) so everyone could have a go at singing. Really generous of a local conductor to volunteer to start it up. #RefugeesWelcome

It doesn't matter if it is Rwanda, or Balkans, it doesn't matter if it is classed as offshoring or outsourcing and it doesn't matter if it is Tories or Labour doing it, shipping people who were seeking safety to a random third country is inhumane, and potentially illegal. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Our K usually volunteers as a barber. And much appreciated too. But yesterday he applied his cutting and chopping talents to making the prettiest salads we’ve seen in some time. So appetizing. (And yes, those fasting could take some home to eat later) #refugeeswelcome

More new people arrived today. We see about 40 applications to attend a month. And of course others get status or get randomly moved away or find themselves with English classes all Thursday. And others we see regularly for a year or more.. #refugeeswelcome

Ho for #BigYellow today - have to keep our stash of nappies somewhere as there’s no room in the church. Suddenly no size 4s. Thanks to #Goods4Good for providing them #refugeeswelcome

We are three years old today! And celebrating by looking for our first paid role: a two day pw operations manager. You need empathy with refugees, skills with volunteers and organising, a little IT and to be local to Acton. Appealing? See here for details: drive.google.com/file/d/10lO_...

@easeealing.bsky.social @westlondonwelcome.bsky.social @zoejardiniere.bsky.social @asylummatters.bsky.social @loucalvey.bsky.social @alfdubs.bsky.social plus those lovely starter packs.

Our volunteer barber had several clients today. Wonderful to see what a difference a sharp haircut makes to a chap “My wife will love this” says M, as he emerges… #RefugeesWelcome

It was a joy to tell J at 2200 on election night, that he would NOT be deported to #Rwanda. Today, it was a joy to celebrate his brand new refugee status. But we bottled telling him he could now never be a citizen because of how he arrived in the U.K.

Over the moon to hear our last @RefugeesAtHome guest, J, has finally got refugee status after a long haul, detention at #BrookHouse for #Rwanda, bailed to us and a wait of over two years for an interview. Hope to see him at @EASEealing drop-in tomorrow.

Maybe one for @ealingcouncil.bsky.social ?

Stashing away the #Goods4Goods goodies at #bigyellow as can’t manage a distribution before next term. Just as well we have some storage (7 sewing machines should be moving out soon) #refugeeswelcome

Ahead of 2nd reading of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill next Monday 10th February, MPs and Peers from the APPG recommend improvements to safe and legal routes be included in the legislation: www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/latest/news/...

Targeting smuggling gangs alone won't reduce deaths in the Channel. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

I don’t think politicians or civil servants understand how all this works in real life. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

And a welcome to @bsky.app for @larissapelham.bsky.social - our Director… #RefugeesWelcome too

The @Telegraph, @thetimes, @MailOnline & @TheSun publish corrections to their scaremongering on undocumented migrants in London. Imagine between them the reach & power of these papers. The fact is they are using that power to instil Trumpist hate & we are ill-equipped to resist.

For anyone who saw the wildly false headlines this week about the number of "illegal migrants" in London and wondered about the real numbers and why many people are pushed into living without immigration status, here's a helpful explanation by @zoejardiniere.bsky.social.

Our - wholly volunteer - kitchen team beavered away to provide a delicious lunch for, oh, about 100 people at this week’s drop-in. Menu: fish pie (thanks to @CityHarvest for fish) mushroom flan, rice, best roast potatoes in w London, yoghurt, salad. Plus yummy cake courtesy of The Felix Project

All go at drop-in: our barber had many clients including his first (shy) woman and the cricket and knitting class beavered away in the background. And local mosque donated 50 portions of delicious dhal and rice to help with lunchtime queues… (will help weekly night-shelter too)

Our guests appreciate new SIM cards hugely - up there with English lessons, the best roast potatoes in West London and groceries from @cityharvestnyc.bsky.social & #FelixProject. So when @vodafonegroup.bsky.social asks for stories, we try to help www.vodafone.co.uk/newscentre/e...

First drop-in of the new year and a renewed appetite for the @vodafonegroup.bsky.social SIM cards after the break. Our guests crave connectivity and appreciate these no end (we could also refurbish and deploy any laptops donated and could do with dozens) #RefugeesWelcome

Drop-in starts again tomorrow and we are looking forward to the new term and new year. Prep today includes picking up donated #goods4good nappies from #bigyellow right in our community…

Sleeping in the carer’s room in my late mum’s sheltered housing flat because daughter and family have taken over my house. But not because it’s #duvetknowitschristmas but building works. Donated as first Xmas without mum…

Exclusive: Home Office errors and “inefficiencies” are exacerbating a surge in homeless refugees Documents arriving late or going to the wrong address, spelling mistakes and database issues are leaving them without proof of the right to rent or work inews.co.uk/news/politic...

I’ve added @windmill-tilter.bsky.social to my uk immigration starter pack. If you last checked it a while back it might be worth checking again as I’ve added a few people go.bsky.app/G7LroM2

Such fun at our #ChristmasParty today.. what with presents and a wrapping station and carols and Santa and lunch and crackers (and of course a seasonal barber!) A lovely event - many thanks to all who contributed.

Getting ready for tomorrow’s #ChristmasParty. What would we do without our volunteers, #FelixProject @cityharvestnyc.bsky.social #Goods4Good #BigYellow and local supporters? Looking forward to a great day…

It doesn't benefit anyone to leave Syrian asylum-seekers in limbo for long periods of time. When regimes have changed hands, past UK governments have given asylum-seekers from these states temporary protection & enabled them to make trial visits to their home countries without losing their status

Huge thanks to Nish of @Pearls Drycleaners who offered to provide our guests with duvets when they move on (some customers don’t pick theirs up and it sits in his shop for aeons) What better use than to pass it on to recent refugees starting their lives int he UK? We (& they) are jolly grateful

A local carer made these for asylum-seeker babies and children - and did for a decade. Now she’s moved on so these are the last of them going out this morning #refugeeswelcome

It’s the big day when the new @care4calais.bsky.social #xmasjumper arrives. Suitable for almost everything I’m doing (except the odd tribunal) in the next fortnight. First outing at @easeealing.bsky.social tomorrow…

Under a govt pilot running until June 2025, refugees now have 56 days to transition from govt accommodation to other housing (previously 28 days). The no of people receiving homelessness support after leaving govt accommodation has risen sharply, following an increase in grants of refugee status.

It does seem unduly speedy. We (and the Home Office) have no idea how safe Syria is now. It’s likely to be in turmoil for some time. And then there’s the questions about the new regime. Are they Jihadists? What will happen to women/LGBT+ or minority faiths?

So are Syrian asylum-seekers going to kept in limbo by the Home Office for even longer? Or those applying for indefinite leave? Its far too soon to make this sort of decision. What about women in new regime? LGBT+? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024...

Denmark already declared areas of Syria safe for returns last year. You can guarantee more countries will follow suit. That cannot happen. There will continue to be Syrians needing asylum for a long time to come. Other countries must not wash their hands now. 8/ www.infomigrants.net/en/post/4749...

Then you have the matter of those Syrians who do not want to return. For some it can be too hard and too scary, after fleeing for your life it is understandable to be wary about returning no matter what the situation. There will also be those who have built lives now, and want to keep them. 5/

Revolutions also rarely end with the leader being removed. There is a power vacuum which needs filling. That means old grudges and disparate ideas come to play. That can lead to increased displacement from certain groups coming into play. 4/

That return home is not without issue though. Many will find their homes gone, a lack of support, financial issues etc. This tends to cause tensions, which can create conflicts within communities, leading to some, maybe those still in Syria, having to seek safety elsewhere. 3/