Asylum Welcome supports refugees, asylum seekers and immigration detainees in Oxford and Oxfordshire.

Asylum Welcome Seasonal Appeal

With government cuts, this year’s Seasonal Appeal is going to be more important than ever.  Please give as generously as you can and together we can make the lives of asylum seekers a little easier, not only during the holidays but in 2012 and beyond.

Asylum Welcome statement on government cuts

Public sector cuts being introduced by the coalition government are having an overwhelmingly negative impact on services for refugees and asylum seekers in Oxfordshire. On 9 May Asylum Welcome issued a statement on the impacts of these cuts on our clients and others. Click here to read the full statement.

Asylum Welcome has moved

Our new address is Unit 7, Newtec Place, Magdalen Road, Oxford, OX4 1RE. (Click here for a map). Telephone numbers are still the same. You are welcome to visit us at our new address.

Take Action:

Stop 60% cuts to refugee advice and support services
The Refugee Council needs your help urgently to stop cuts to vital services in the UK. The government plans to cut funding to the Refugee Council by 60% from 1 April and to cut all funding from September. Find out how you can help.

Email your MP to support giving asylum seekers the right to work
Amnesty International are urging the government to get behind more sensible rules for permission to work for asylum seekers. Click here to email your MP requesting they support the call for change.

News:

Child asylum seekers win compensation for 13-month detention

Four children who were incarcerated in detention centres for 13 months – the longest time children have ever been locked up in the UK – have won a six-figure compensation payout from the Home Office more than eight years after their release.

Child detention: has the government broken its promise to end it?

After promising last year to end child detention in failed asylum cases – and closing the notorious Yarl's Wood unit – the government opened a smart new centre for deportees. But isn't this still detention?

Asylum seekers prevented from lodging cases

Law Society claims Asylum Screening Unit are preventing claimants lodging claims unless lawyers threaten legal action.

Volunteer publishes article based on a discussion held at Asylum Welcome

Asylum Welcome volunteer, James Souter, publishes an article on the ethics of lying in the asylum system.

Asylum seekers furious at rush to hit deportation deadline

Lawyers are working frantically to stop the deportation of a young man to Afghanistan amid claims that the UK Border Agency is making "irrational decisions" driven by a panic to meet targets.

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers needed for community cooking club Wednesdays from 1:00 - 3:30.  Ideal for someone to meet our clients, chat and make friends on an informal basis.  Very enjoyable project!

Volunteers needed by our Advocacy Sub-Committee:

If you are interested in volunteering for any of the following new Advocacy roles please e-mail the Advocacy Co-Chair,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it :

Information and Monitoring Assistant, Events Coordinator, Profile-Raising Assistant and Food Collection Managers

Urgently needed: cooking oil, sugar, UHT milk, tea, coffee, toothpaste, disposable razors and more for our Food Cupboard for destitute clients.

“As an asylum seeker here you have no identity; you are always waiting. I want to be recognised as belonging; to be able to make my contribution.”Najaf, asylum seeker from Afghanistan