To mark the World Refugee Day on the 20th June, we interviewed Kathryn Hoyle, Senior Regional Fundraiser for Greater Manchester, and William Nonge, Service Manager Refugee Support North West, both from the British Red Cross.
The British Red Cross is the United Kingdom body of the worldwide neutral and impartial humanitarian network the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, established in 1870.
Since 1989, they have provided a range of services to refugees, asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants and survivors of trafficking. One of the recent initiatives, Miles for Refugees, aims to raise awareness and funds by completing six possible distances throughout the month of June. Each distance is based on a common route refugees take to reach safety. We, at IMD Solicitors, are taking part in this charity fitness challenge for the second time and are getting closer and closer to reach out target of 555 miles!
We asked Kathryn and William a few questions to understand how they operate, what are the needs, and what we can do to support the refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.
Refugees and asylum seekers can access support at one of our 59 locally based Refugee Support services across the UK. The British Red Cross is the UK’s largest independent provider of services and support for refugees and people seeking asylum. We offer emergency help, practical assistance with essentials such as food and toiletries, one-to-one support and casework, special services for children and families, as well as family reunions.
A full list of our local support hubs, along with contact information can be found on our website redcross.org.uk.
Those seeking support will usually do so by attending one of our Refugee Support hubs or contacting a member of our locally based teams who can offer assistance. We don’t often meet people on arrival, but we work closely with local partner agencies who support people who have been displaced, to ensure they are aware of our services and how we can help.
Every year the British Red Cross helps over 30,000 people in the UK, at all stages of the asylum process.
This includes providing food and clothing to 16,000 refugees, and helping to reunite almost 1,000 separated families.
When refugees and asylum seekers first arrive in the UK, they may need help getting used to life here and learning how to get the services they need. Depending on where they are in the country, the Red Cross can help in many ways, providing practical support with things like travel vouchers, accessing English courses, help with housing applications, signposting health care and offering financial support.
There are many ways you can stand with refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. From volunteering to using our teaching resources, sharing refugee stories, and advocating for a fair, effective and efficient asylum system that treats people with respect and dignity.
For more information please visit – What can I do to help?
There are many ways individuals and companies can get involved and support our refugee work but raising funds is key to allowing our services to continue. Taking part in fundraising campaigns such as Miles for Refugees is a great way to raise funds and awareness of the issues refugees are facing. Nominating the British Red Cross as a company charity of the year would also allow us to work together closely on all these issues and make a real lasting impact.
We are also always looking for volunteers, in particular those with legal knowledge, who have skills in casework, interpreting, administration and many other areas to join our teams and help support our local services.
For more information on any of these opportunities, please contact Kathryn Hoyle on khoyle@redcross.org.uk
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.
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