FAir begins in kent for refugees
The Bishop of Dover, Gavin Esler and Joseph Coelho are just some of the influential figures from Kent joining forces to call for a fair new plan for refugees on Valentine’s Day (14 February 2024) - in the week the scheme to send refugees to Rwanda is being debated in the House of Lords.
They have signed a letter (1) to share love and solidarity with refugees across the county - including those who have arrived on the Kent coast in small boats. They want to make it clear to political leaders that refugees are welcome in their community.
The action has been organised by Kent Refugee Action Network (KRAN) as part of a new campaign Fair Begins Here from campaign coalition Together With Refugees.
The letter states: “As people from all walks of life in Kent, we are signing this joint message to you to show that Kent is standing together with refugees and calling for a fair new plan.
“Given the chance, we know communities like ours go the extra mile to welcome refugees – opening our homes, volunteering, speaking up, and donating. And, given the chance, refugees do so much to enrich our society as they build new lives.
“We’re grateful for your wonderful contributions to our communities, culture and economy.
“We want you to know that there is overwhelming support across the county for a fair new plan for refugees, one that’s rooted in fairness, justice and compassion - a positive alternative to the current uncaring, costly and chaotic refugee system. Now is the time for a fairer and more compassionate approach towards refugees in the UK.”
Joseph Coelho, award-winning performance poet, playwright, children’s author, and Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2022–2024, signed the letter saying: “I’m proud to do something meaningful this Valentine’s Day and sign this letter of love and solidarity with refugees in Kent”.
Signatory the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who is the Bishop of Dover and the Bishop in Canterbury, says: “Churches across Kent are part of a strong community of support and compassion for those seeking protection here. I have met some wonderful people involved in both offering this welcome and those rebuilding their lives.
“I’m pleased to sign this letter and extend the hand of love and compassion to refugees across the county this Valentine’s Day.”
Another signatory is Gavin Esler, patron of KRAN, journalist, author, former Newsnight presenter and current Chancellor of the University of Kent. He says: “This letter is an important message of love and solidarity to refugees rebuilding their lives here in Kent. But it is also an important message to our political leaders that we want a more compassionate, less chaotic plan that is fair, kind and just. Communities across our country have stepped forward time and again to show support for people seeking safety on our shores and I’m proud to play a part.”
Rishan Tsegay, KRAN Media Ambassador who coordinated the letter in Kent and is also studying to be a nurse, says: “Having been forced to flee my home in Eritrea with my family, I'm happy to be building a new life here in Kent. I’ve had amazing support and friendship from local people and especially KRAN.
“But I also know how isolating and hard it can be and sometimes fear that people like me are not welcome here. That’s why I wanted to coordinate a letter to show love and solidarity to other refugees in the area on Valentine’s Day. And of course, it’s important that we send a clear message to politicians that people across the country want something different – something kinder and fairer for refugees.”
With a recent poll, commissioned by Together With Refugees, showing that 80% of the British public want an approach to the asylum system that is well managed, fair and compassionate, the campaign is calling for a fair and kind new plan for refugees that works for everyone.
It demonstrates how prominent people from across the UK and all parts of society support this call, including the BMA, UNISON, National Association of Head Teachers, faith leaders and stars of sport, stage and screen, and those with experience of being a refugee.
The poll also reveals that fewer than 1 in 5 (18%) of the British public think the government’s approach to the asylum system is working well. This number increases to just 1 in 4 (28%) when only looking at respondents who intend to vote Conservative at the next election and decreases to 1 in 6 (16%) for those who intend to vote Labour (2).
The Fair Begins Here campaign is calling for a fair new plan for refugees with:
protection for people fleeing war and persecution by upholding the UK’s commitment under international law to the right to claim asylum and by scrapping the Rwanda scheme
a proper strategy for welcoming refugees by ensuring fair, rapid decisions on their application for asylum, and the chance to rebuild their lives through settling in a community, being allowed to work and the chance to learn English
stronger global cooperation to tackle the root causes that force people to flee their homes and provides positive solutions when they do, including through safe routes to refugee protection.
With more than 600 members of Together With Refugees – from large national organisations to small grassroots projects – they will be bringing the campaign to communities across the UK throughout the year.
The full letter and list of signatories:
Dear refugees of Kent
This Valentine’s Day we are writing to share love and solidarity with you, to make it clear to you and to political leaders that we welcome you into our communities.
As people from all walks of life in Kent, we are signing this joint message to you to show that Kent is standing together with refugees and calling for a fair new plan.
Given the chance, we know communities like ours go the extra mile to welcome refugees – opening our homes, volunteering, speaking up, and donating. And, given the chance, refugees do so much to enrich our society as they build new lives.
We’re grateful for your wonderful contributions to our communities, culture and economy.
We want you to know that there is overwhelming support across the county for a fair new plan for refugees, one that’s rooted in fairness, justice and compassion - a positive alternative to the current uncaring, costly and chaotic refugee system. Now is the time for a fairer and more compassionate approach towards refugees in the UK.
With love from
Dr Jonathan Barnes, Co-founder Education4Diversity and Senior Research Fellow of Canterbury Christ Church University
Dr Mohamed Ali, Canterbury Mosque
Amber Butchart, curator and historian
Joseph Coelho, poet, playwright, children’s author and Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2022 – 2024
Rabbi Cliff Cohen, Thanet and District Reform Synagogue
Gavin Esler, journalist, author and broadcaster and Chancellor of the University of Kent
The Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover and the Bishop in Canterbury
Michele Sheldon, author and playwright
Dr Karim Rizkallah, Consultant Anaesthetist, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
National poll results:
1 in 4 (28%) people who intend to vote Conservative at the next election believe the government’s approach to the asylum system is working well and less than half (46%) think it is likely to work well in the future. 83% want an asylum system that is well managed, fair and compassionate
1 in 6 (16%) of people who intend to Labour at the next election believe the government’s approach to the asylum system is working well and around the same (18%) think it is likely to work well in the future. 88% want an asylum system that is well managed, fair and compassionate
18% of the British public think the government’s approach to the asylum system is working well and 1 in 4 (24%) think it is likely to work well in the future. 8 out of 10 (80%) want an asylum system that is well managed, fair and compassionate.
Together With Refugees collected data from a representative sample of 1,014 adults in the UK on Tuesday 5 December 2023, using Focaldata. Focaldata's platform brings together sampling, scripting, fieldwork, and data processing into a single place. The data was weighted by age, gender, and region to be representative of the UK adult population. All poll results are subject to a margin of error. Margin of error tells you how much the results derived from your sample will differ from the real population value (ie if everyone in the relevant population was asked the question). The larger the sample size, the smaller the margin of error.
The photo shows some of our young refugees with staff (from left) Lou, Rishan and Red.