Thank you so much
Last newsletter I explained how we could only afford to finance the cheapest method to help people to go to Liverpool to submit further fresh claims and asked if perhaps people would consider donating £25 to sponsor someone’s travel to Liverpool by a method that does not involve sleeping on the floor of the bus station overnight.
We would like to thank everyone who rallied to our call and donated the £25. I can assure you the money has been put to good use.
We would also like to thank Scarlett and the Friends of Nature’s World who picked apples at the now closed Nature’s World in Middlesbrough and donated 19 bags to give to our clients. Thank you so much it was very much appreciated by all who received them
It is with great sadness that we learned recently of the passing of two of our long term supporters. Ex Councillor David Coleman who worked tirelessly for equality and human rights, and Don Redman who, with his wife, regularly donated bags of food for our destitute clients, and ensured that his trade union branch made regular donations to the fund.
Rest easy David and Don.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Please remember that to help run the fund more efficiently our new address is below. It would be helpful if you could possibly provide us with your email address, if you have one, so that it could save us the ever increasing cost of postage. Thank you.
Mary Thompson Fund, c/o Justice First, 135 Norton Rd,
Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 2BG
Tel. 07910 218 622
Supported by the generous donations of individuals & local organisations.
Charity Number 1112610
THE MARY THOMPSON FUND
Supporting refugees and people seeking sanctuary in the Tees Valley
Sponsored and Walk and ‘Toddle’
Our recent sponsored walk raised the magnificent sum of £1335 for the funds. Thank you everyone who took part and who sponsored the walkers. Everyone seemed to enjoy their day, especially the lunch stop in Goathland where Jackie Fearnley and friends provided warm welcome and hot drinks. A much appreciated pit stop on their travels. Many thanks also goes to the Red Cross for providing a mini bus and driver as a support vehicle, some sponsored walkers and a delicious buffet
The sponsored ‘toddle’, held the next day, provided the funds with a wonderful sum of £262 – the most money that has been raised since we started the ‘toddle’ – well done everyone. This is a day when those of us who would like to play our part in the sponsored walk, but because of either age or infirmity find it too challenging, feel that we can do our bit. We don’t have as many walkers as the main sponsored walk but we have the added incentive of afternoon tea at the end of our exertions. Please do come and join us next year.
You may have noticed the raffle tickets enclosed with this newsletter (hard to miss!!). I did say in a previous newsletter that we would try to do a summer raffle but that wasn’t possible this year so a Christmas Raffle it is!
Please don’t feel obliged to buy any tickets but please remember this is a major fund raiser for MTF and any money you give goes straight to the refugees as all the prizes are donated. This year the first prize has been raised to £150.00. This money is donated by me in memory of my daughter Kirsty. I feel it is a fitting way to commemorate Kirsty’s life, I am sure she would agree.
HE’S ONE 0f OUR OWN………
While the awful plight of refugees in Europe continues and we try to come to terms with the pictures and reports coming out of Eastern Europe, we thought you would like to hear some ‘good news’ details concerning one of our former asylum seekers.
Rabah Yousif, on the extreme left of the picture above, came to Britain at 14 with the Sudanese junior athletics team and made a decision that would change his life forever – he ran away, hid and lied about his age. If he returned home with the team he would have been recruited into the army and would live under threat.
When claiming asylum he first lived in Wolverhampton then Walsall and finally he arrived in Middlesbrough. He was forced out of his accommodation when his asylum application was denied because of the lies about his age whilst a frightened 14 year old. He turned to his athletics coach, local woman Carol Williams, whose friend provided him with paid for accommodation. Mary Thompson Fund helped with their weekly £5.00 destitution payments, funded by your donations, and Justice First helped with the legal side. To cut a very long story short. Rabah was given leave to remain in 2013 and is now a very talented 28 year old athlete, living in Thornaby, married with two lovely children, and he is repaying the country that gave him sanctuary by becoming the very talented athlete that he is and helping Britain win the Bronze Medal at the
Beijing World Championship by running the first leg of the 4×400 metre
final. He also ran a personal best of 44.45 in the 400 metre men’s final. We wish him continued success and a happy, safe future.
“My life was saved by coming here – now I want to repay Britain”
We should also remember that Mo Farah was a refugee from Somalia, and former footballer Fabrice Muamba was a refugee from Zaire, which is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. These are two of the very many talented and accomplished people who come to this country as refugees seeking sanctuary.
People Power
Whilst Senior Government Ministers of the European countries dither about the fate of refugees, children and their parents are still dying in the Med. People who only want to save the lives of their families and try to make a new safer life for them are being held in underground carparks and compounds hardly fit for animals having food and water thrown at them. Some countries are actually using razor wire fencing, water cannons and tear gas. Is that a way to treat human beings who have lost their homes and suffered so much fear and indignity?
Our government has said they will welcome 20,000 people from Syria into our country over the next 5 years – that’s 4,000 people a year or 1,000 families of 4 – but are refusing to take any of the refugees who are currently being moved from pillar to post
Whilst the support is highly commendable, Syria is not the only place where people are fleeing in terror for their lives. Some people seem blind to what is happening in other parts of the world and feel that helping these people will inconvenience their comfortable lives. It is to be hoped that the power of caring people will go some way to making them think again.
MTF are honoured to count you as our supporters and friends and can assure you that we will do our utmost to support any refugees that are dispersed to the Tees Valley.
A QUOTE FROM A SUPPORTER
Pete Widlinski was recently given a £3000 cheque for the fund from a gentleman, living in the area. He would like to share a comment from the letter that accompanied the donation.
‘Long ago my uncle was a migrant to this country from Ireland. I think he’d like to see those in need today supported’
Summer of Shame?
On 10th August 2015, the Home Office introduce a new flat rate of asylum support for all people seeking asylum of £36.95 per week, regardless of age. This is a devastating blow for families. The change has resulted in a cut to support to children seeking refugee protection of £16 per week and will push vulnerable people further into poverty.
On top of this, the government has now consulted on plans to cut off support for refused asylum seeking families, a measure that will leave vulnerable families totally without any means of support, with no money for food and no accommodation. Yet often after an initial asylum claim is refused, the applicant may still be collating evidence to make further submissions. However, they will no longer receive any support after 28 days.
Currently 51% of the world’s refugees are under 18. These children have been born into situations we can hardly imagine; the early years of their lives destroyed by war, torture and persecution and their lives in the UK often overshadowed by uncertainty and anxiety about the future. We are concerned that these new measures will force children and vulnerable adults who have sought safety in the UK further into poverty and utter destitution, breaking our commitment to welcoming refugees and safeguarding children.
The Children’s Commissioner for England has just published a report; ‘Family Friendly’ which explores the impact on children of the financial requirements of the Immigration Rules which govern the admission of spouses from outside Europe. The Rules state that an applicant must have a minimum income of £18,600 per annum.
This legislation means that families who are unable to meet the financial requirements are being forced to separate or live outside the UK while the sponsor tries to meet the income threshold. This has resulted in upheaval and separation for thousands of families. Children have become the unintended victims of the financial requirements. The report highlights the anxiety, stress and detriment caused to them as they are forced to separate from a parent and their family life is torn apart.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
In celebration of Black History Month we are delighted to welcome the legendary Benjamin Zephaniah and Dennis Bovell and his Dub band to Teesside.
On 24th October 2015 at Teesside University
An Audience with Benjamin Zephaniah
4.00pm – 5.00pm, TG.02, The Curve, Teesside University
This intimate event will allow you to hear first-hand from Benjamin about his career, his poetry and his dyslexia and to ask him questions. Writer, lyricist, musician and trouble-maker – described as Britain’s most filmed, photographed and identifiable poet, Benjamin is the only living poet in the vote for the Nation’s Top Ten Favourite Poets. His first book of poetry for children, Talking Turkeys, went into emergency reprint in just six weeks. Numbers are restricted and allocated on a first come, first served basis; booking is essential.
Reserve your free place.
Words n Dub with Dennis Bovell and Benjamin Zephaniah
7.30pm – 10.30pm, The Terrace Bar, Students’ Union, Teesside University
Enjoy an evening of Words n Dub, brought to us by two living legends – Dennis Bovell and Benjamin Zephaniah. Dennis, here with his fabulous Dub band, has made a huge contribution to Britain’s music – reggae, lovers’ rock, punk – and to cultural and political awareness. Benjamin – Britain’s most recognisable and popular poet – needs no introduction and this is a fantastic opportunity to see and hear him live and in poetic person – don’t miss out. No need to book, everyone is welcome and it’s free to attend.