Great meeting this evening!

We enjoyed, and were enlightened by, a talk by Mary Brandon. Mary is the Campaign Projects Manager for Asylum Matters, in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Asylum Matters is an advocacy and campaigns project that works in partnership locally and nationally to improve the lives of refugees and people seeking asylum through social and political change. It is incorporating and building on the work of the Still Human Still Here coalition and the Regional Asylum Activism (RAA) Project.

She explained, to a packed house, how the Asylum system works, or is supposed to work, and factors that affect it.

We heard about the impact of “the Hostile Environment” – Theresa May’s (when Home Secretary) design for an institutionalised culture of fear, hard coded into Home Office practices and legislation.

This approach was aimed at those without leave to remain in the intentioned hope that they would just give up and go ‘home’.

We were given good advice on how to engage with and get the most from our local Parliamentary representatives.

We were also advised on proposed challenges to current legislation, especially the ban which is preventing people who are seeking safety in our country from being able to work and provide for themselves and their families.

We feel empowered as a group to continue our work on asylum based campaigns more effectively and with hope.

A big “thank you” to @MaryLBrandon

Some Take-Away’s I liked

Check-Up on how your MP serves you

Liberty Document on Hostile Environment

Modern Slavery – Safe Car Wash

City of Sanctuary – Lift the Ban Pack