In this event report, our newsletter editor Frances Lloyd summarises the informative talk given by Amanda about how her organisation is working to support refugees who come to live in Shropshire.
Amanda started her talk by telling us about her background. She had worked with children with disabilities and those in care during her 20s and 30s. She then had a baby and found she had time on her hands. She was horrified when she saw footage of the camps at Calais where 10,000 people were living in tents with accompanying violence and hunger. She read that Kate Bedano had decided to take a caravan to Calais and was inspired to do the same. She gathered funds and the WI in St. Albans offered to renovate it. Meanwhile Amanda took thousands of pounds worth of items to Calais. She was very shocked by what she found in the camps which were completely lawless and where many vulnerable children were living.
Shropshire Council had agreed to resettle 23 families and contacted Amanda as they wanted to set up a refugee action group which would become a major source of support for refugees in Shropshire. For Amanda it became a full-time job. The Council funding eventually became £50,000 a year. In 2018 the organisation became a Community Interest Company and is now transitioning to registered charity status. It has 3,000 followers on Facebook and is the major resettling organisation in the county. There are 40 very active volunteers and another 100 who help out on an ad hoc basis.
There are currently 85 million people in the world who have been displaced – not all of whom are in camps. 20,000 refugees and asylum seekers drowned in the Mediterranean last year.
Up to now Shropshire Supports Refugees has been involved in helping refugees from Syria and Afghanistan to settle in Shropshire. They offer classes in English, coping with trauma and building resilience. These classes are currently held online because of the pandemic although teachers go into hotels in Telford where some refugees from Afghanistan are still living. There are now 22 families living in Shropshire County and 16 in Telford and Wrekin. Both councils are committed to re-home 5 more families. Housing is a big problem hence why some are still living in hotels. Under the Syrian Resettlement Scheme families could go into either private rented houses or social housing. All Syrian families in the county are now in social housing after several moves. Using social housing can cause resentment amongst the settled population. Afghans are not allowed to go into private homes. It is a struggle to find housing because the families from both these countries are usually large and extended. They can normally work and claim benefits. Some refugees are here illegally and they are often put into horrific housing and not allowed to work. There are none in Shropshire as the county is not part of the dispersal scheme. Shropshire is part of a scheme for young unaccompanied asylum seekers although a lot have run away to cities which they prefer to a rural county.
Amanda told us that Shropshire is becoming more diverse. There are few clashes of cultures or blatant racist incidents. She is on the Board of The Marches Anti Slavery and Trafficking Partnership. Those who enter the UK by these routes are prime targets for exploitation.
The women they are working with are gradually becoming more confident and will attend classes. Amanda told us that her organisation tends to concentrate on the children offering them activities such as horse riding and circus skills. At these they mix with other children from many different backgrounds and the hope is that they will grow up to be accepted as part of the local community.
On the subject of Ukraine Amanda said the government has made it difficult for refugees fleeing the conflict to come here and she doesn’t trust the system as yet. She is collecting details of those offering support. As soon as she knows more she will post it on her organisation’s Facebook page (see below). It could mean between 30 and 120 new families living in the county and funding will be needed to support them. She will be collaborating with other local groups and also with health and education organisations. Initially it will be women and children and older people as younger men are required to stay in Ukraine to fight. From her experience of those fleeing conflict refugees are very stressed when they arrive here. They can’t see the families they have left behind and they often suffer from survivor’s guilt. There is war related trauma and no specialist help with this. Syrian culture is not to accept help.
She said there has never been a problem with the local media. The Shropshire Star and Shropshire Radio are very supportive and fair in their reporting though she couldn’t say the same about the national media. With the refugees from Ukraine coming here her aim is to have cohesion in the county between Russians and Ukrainians. It is Refugee Week in June. Shropshire Council voted last year to be a county of sanctuary and Shrewsbury Town Council have voted to be a town of sanctuary. To achieve this they have to prove they are embedding the values of acceptance into the community.
Fund raising is a big issue. They apply for funds from The Lottery and Shropshire Council do give financial help to families. She doesn’t feel families become too dependent on getting help rather than standing on their own feet. It is now in year 5 of the project with Syrian refugees and they are quite independent though they can still be supported. It is very helpful that the organisation has in-house interpreters. It takes a long time to build up trust. The pandemic has slowed things down when face-to-face meetings and classes finished. They did get funding for laptops and they developed an online support system. They are going to have a venue at the Riverside offering support, clothes etc. Staffing for the organisation is 2 full time members, one part time and another who works one day a week.
For further information on Shropshire Supports Refugees:
Website: www.shropshiresupportsrefugees.org
Email: info@shropshiresupportsrefugees.co.uk
Facebook: facebook.com >shropshiresupportsrefugees
Address: c/o United Reformed Church, Coleham Head, Shrewsbury, SY3 7BJ
Tel. 01743 216 758
Amanda Jones, CEO
Email: amandajones@shropshiresupportsrefugees.co.uk
Tel. 07487 883777