Better than nothing

At the end of September the Refugee Welcome Trust finished the end of it's fifth 'official' year. With a fancy new name; 'Together Now', we're come a long way since we started in July 2010.

Since then we've brought over 53 people travelling on family reunion visas to be with their loved ones who are refugees living in the UK.

That includes 40 children who now have safer more secure futures with their parents. 

We now know that you can bring salted fish with you to the UK in certain conditions and limited amounts, that if you really need one you can find a Tamil speaking taxi driver at Heathrow and that when a family is on their last chance of being together they become capable of pretty much anything asked of them.

"What about us? We're still here"

For many people working with refugees the current press coverage of the 'crisis' has provoked mixed feelings. Working in one tiny area I can't profess to be offering the most balanced or informed view but I'd like to share a point made by one of my friends, himself an asylum seeker in Manchester.

My friend; let's call him Isaac, is articulate, well informed and doing his best not to be worn down by the emotionally exhausting process of seeking asylum here. Having arrived in the UK as a minor, and with perfect English, when we meet the points he raises are to the point and come with a political awareness that comes from having a life where survival hinges on the whim of the government and statutory agencies.