• Ask your organisation, group, business, place of worship to pass a resolution of support for City of Sanctuary Bradford (print from the website)
• Display one of our "We welcome asylum-seekers and refugees" signs (collect from our office base or print from the website) outside your building, office, home – or on your car
• Invite a refugee or asylum-seeker to speak to your community about their experiences.
• Publicise City of Sanctuary, Refugee Week and other refugee events within your community.
• Publicise opportunities for voluntary work with asylum-seekers and refugees – or offer volunteer placements or internships for suitably skilled asylum-seekers or refugees with your organisation or business.
• Invite refugee groups to your community social events.
• Help us develop a team taking the issue of asylum into local schools
• Offer befriending or advocacy to asylum-seekers in your area.
• Offer English (ESOL) tuition.
• Offer meeting or worship space to a refugee community group.
• Raise funds for BEACON, BIASAN, Abigail Project, Bradford Action for Refugees.
• Provide short or longer-term accommodation to homeless asylum-seekers by offering a spare room (BEACON), or by contributing to the rent for a house (Abigail Project).
• Consider appointing refugees to positions of responsibility in your community.
• Offer your time for admin support to City of Sanctuary Bradford campaign.
• Do you have expertise in making funding applications? Then we would be very pleased to hear from you!
These are just a few suggestions. If you have a skill or particular interest that isn’t mentioned above, get in touch and we may be able to suggest a way that it could be used to benefit asylum seekers and refugees locally. Equally, get in touch if you would like further explanation of any of the above.
VOLUNTEEERING OPPORTUNITIES
There are many projects which support asylum-seekers and refugees in Bradford District, and all would welcome new volunteers. These are just a few….
ABIGAIL HOUSING
Destitution Project: housing for asylum seekers made homeless by negative asylum decisions. Currently two houses in Bradford, one in Leeds. Contact: Anne on 01274 775884; anne.hebden@btinternet.com
Refugee Housing Project: Temporary accommodation, currently only in Leeds, for those whose NASS support has just ended, and then help in finding suitable longer-term accommodation. Contact: John on 07743 189314; john@assisihouse.co.uk
BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum CONcern)
As well as campaigning on asylum issues and awareness-raising within churches (and beyond), BEACON has three projects:
• McKenzie Friends are trained volunteers who provide moral support and informed help for those without access to legal representation appealing against asylum decisions.,
• CHAT (Care and Hospitality at Thornbury) offers a warm welcome and simple refreshments to asylum seekers waiting for their appeals to start at the Asylum and Immigration Hearings Centre at Phoenix House.
• The Hosting Project provides short, medium and longer-term accommodation for destitute asylum seekers within the homes of volunteer hosts
• BEACON office: 32 Merton Road, Bradford. BD7 1RE, 01274 727525 (721626) laura.beacon@yahoo.co.uk
Hosting Project: Will Sutcliffe: host.beacon@yahoo.com McKenzie Friends: 07531 576330 – or via the office
BIASAN.
Thursday Drop-In. Held 6 to 8pm at Bradford Resource Centre, Chapel St, Little Germany. A good meal is provided and donated clothing and goods are often available. Members are signposted to relevant agencies and other sources of support. On the first Thursday of the month there is an Open Meeting with interpreters to plan future activities, air views and disseminate information. There is no distinction between ‘client’ and volunteer, between continuing and ‘failed’ asylum seekers and successful refugees – all are seen as members.
Woman’s Club. For women and their children. Held at Frontline Initiative, Green Lane from 1-4pm every Thursday. The Club provides opportunities for women to socialise, whilst playworkers provide activities for their children. A health worker, befriending co-ordinators from BafR and a worker from Bradford Education regularly attend.
English Lessons. Run by a volunteer teacher on Wednesday afternoons from 4.30-6.30 at Bradford Resource Centre.
Special Events including an August Bank Holiday day trip to the seaside at Filey. No office base or ‘phone number.
biasan@bigfoot.com
BRADFORD ACTION FOR REFUGEES
The Advice Service provides advice and assistance to refugees and asylum seekers who reside in the Bradford District on a number of issues such as housing, employment, health and wellbeing, integration and welfare benefits.
The Children and Families Project (Mondays 4-6pm at Frontline Initiative, Green Lane, Manningham) is designed to meet the educational, social and developmental needs of refugee and asylum seeking children and their families. It provides three core programmes that are designed to enable families to better integrate into British society as well as support the local community in being able to better understand asylum seekers and refugees
Check their website www.bafr.org.uk for further updates.
Unit 2 Carlisle Business Centre, 60 Carlisle Rd, BD8 8BD. Tel: 223240
BRITISH RED CROSS
Refugee Support ServiceTrained volunteers help:· Filling in forms and providing information about housing, benefits, and asylum· Making phone calls· Finding a doctor, dentist or solicitor· Providing information about jobs and courses· Using libraries, museums, etc· Using public transport· Issuing food parcels and sleeping bags to asylum seekers and refugees who are destitute.Drop-in sessions for clients every Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m at Unit 20 Carlisle Business Centre, 60 Carlisle Rd, BD8 8BD. Tel 223293
STAR (Student Action for Refugees)
Weekly student-run drop in for asylum seekers every Monday from 6 to 8pm at Desmond Tutu House 2 Ash Grove (opposite the University) and is open to all.
Contact: Chris Howson: 01274 727034, mob.07800 586020;
Email chrishowson@yahoo.com
Also …………
VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD hold information on a wide range of local volunteering opportunities and are keen to help you find out more about volunteering in the Bradford District.
Visit their drop-in at:
EASA, 69 Godwin St, BD1 2SH. Tuesday: 9.30-12.30
or Thursday: 9.30-3.00
Tel: 01274 588 233 info@volunteeringbradford.org
