4 months ago, a woman at Urban House Initial Accommodation Centre in Wakefield asked “How do we wash our hands with no soap in the bathrooms?” Another feared “coronavirus spreading in this crowded place”. We interviewed many other residents regarding their concerns about safety at Urban House. Urban House residents complained about forced room sharing, …
The Black Lives Matter movement has highlighted what we’ve known for years: racism is embedded in every aspect of our society and its history. It isn’t limited to the hostile environment policy or violent racist attacks. It isn’t unique to those institutions that make life hard for migrants or people of colour as a matter …
Asylum residents at Urban House need your support. Urban House is an Initial Accommodation Centre in Wakefield. Like other asylum accommodation in our region it is run by Mears Group as part of a £1.15 billion contract. Before Covid 19, residents bravely protested about overcrowding, poor food and unsanitary conditions. Not much changed, except Mears banned camera phones …
Mears Group took over asylum housing provision in Yorkshire from G4S this year. “It can’t get any worse” was the reaction of many asylum tenants. Were they wrong? John Grayson looks at life for an asylum seeking family in Rotherham ‘That’s where the rats get in.’ April [all names have been changed] was showing me round …
With “welfare reforms” linked to increasing use of foodbanks and hunger, refugee benefit claimants face the threat of destitution, some for the second time in the UK. Rolled Out Migrant rights groups have long pointed to the use of destitution against people seeking asylum as a deliberate tool of government policy. Refugee Action is …
Thursday 8th November – Any Time – Any Barnardo’s Shop/Office As Medical Justice put it: “they ruined the campaign to end the detention of children, which campaigners felt could be achievable as the government had already promised it.” Along with notorious security firm G4S, children’s charity Barnardo’s runs the Cedars family detention centre in Sussex. …
Public meeting to discuss what the new family migration rules mean and how we oppose them. When: Tuesday 25th September 7pm Where: Quaker Meeting House, 10 James Street, Sheffield S1 2EW Speakers from Migrant Rights Network, SYMAAG and from the Sheffield Yemeni Community Association. This meeting is being held because major changes in family immigration rules …
The SYMAAG “No to G4S” working group next meets on Thursday 12th July, 6.30pm at Scotia Works The next full SYMAAG meeting is on Monday 30th July, 6.30pm, again at Scotia Works We meet at Scota Works, Leadmill Road, Sheffield S1 4SE (5 minutes walk from bus and train stations) at 6.30pm. We …
