We welcome the announcement on 9th November 2018 that, influenced by the recommendations of Stephen Shaw’s reports, the government commits to reduce by 40% the number of people detained under immigration powers in the UK. We welcome the decision to close Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre in Oxfordshire. Reducing the number of detention centres and those detained within them is an important step towards a fairer asylum and immigration system in the U.K.

For almost 25 years, Asylum Welcome has seen first-hand the human impact of detention at Campsfield.

With this historic announcement we want to pay tribute to many people:

• to people detained at Campsfield who have struggled to maintain their safety, dignity, health and family relationships
• to local volunteers who have been part of the Asylum Welcome detainee support service and Campsfield visiting group and helped ensure that detainees have a daily visit and are able to communicate better with doctors, lawyers and their families
• to the networks of individuals and professional bodies who support our work and support the welfare of detainees, including the long-standing Close Campsfield Campaign
• and finally we pay tribute to those staff members at Campsfield who carried out their duties with respect and compassion.

Asylum Welcome will work with the remaining detainees until Campsfield closes in May 2019. Asylum Welcome’s other services for asylum seekers and refugees living in the community in Oxfordshire will continue into the future. In coming months we will be reviewing the implications for Asylum Welcome’s work so that we can put our energy and experience where it is most useful, pass on what we have learned to other visiting groups, and celebrate the legacy of our visitors. We will be consulting widely on the best direction for our organisation.

We urge members of the public to maintain an interest in the welfare of detainees who will continue to be held at removal centres elsewhere in the UK that are considered to run a more harsh regime than at Campsfield. Their safety relies on your concern.

Thank you for your support for the work of Asylum Welcome.

With demand for Asylum Welcome’s services increasing and our voice gaining prominence in national policy debates, we are seeking to appoint outstanding individuals to our Board, including the roles of Treasurer and Company Secretary.

Person Specification

Prospective Trustees will:

-       Be committed to the rights and welfare of refugees and to Asylum Welcome’s vision, mission and values.

-       Have demonstrable expertise and/or experience of a relevant field, particularly one of the following: finance and accounting; fundraising; HR and organisational development; administration and management; health and/or advice services to vulnerable people; lived experience of asylum determination processes, in the UK or elsewhere.

-       Be experienced more widely in the management of people and/or resources, for example by working in a management team.

-       Be able to contribute to and ensure Asylum Welcome’s financial sustainability and strategic development.

As an organisation committed to reflecting our diverse and vibrant Oxford community, we particularly welcome applications from people from black, minority ethnic and refugee backgrounds.

Get in touch…

Email your CV and a short (no more than 1 page) covering letter setting out why you want to join us and how you meet the person specification to Marcus Thompson, Chair of Trustees marcusthompson2000@yahoo.co.uk.

Being a trustee

As a trustee you will:

-       Actively participate in meetings, offering guidance and support to ensure that Asylum Welcome continues to do the vital and life-saving work it was set up to do.

-       Scrutinise Asylum Welcome’s budgets, management accounts and financial statements, ensuring that they meet the organisation’s needs and the relevant regulatory requirements.

-       Ensure Asylum Welcome is complying with its governing documents and the relevant law, as well as updating, following and reviewing its own policies and procedures.

-       Act, with care and skill, in Asylum Welcome’s best interests.

For further information, click here.

The Board

Asylum Welcome is governed by a Board of 6-12 Trustees elected at the AGM. Trustees (who must be Members) normally serve for 3 years. Additional trustees may be co-opted.

The Board meets 6-8 times a year, currently early evening on a Wednesday. Regular dates are agreed a year in advance. Individual trustees also join or lead the Board’s Sub-Committees and working groups.