Last month the UK government, set out its new plan for immigration. These proposals will further embed inequality, discrimination and injustice deep into the immigration system. We must add our voices to the thousands of people objecting to these proposals.
We would also like to share that we just concluded our four week long course developed in collaboration with Woodbrooke, the Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network (QARN) and the Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA). During the course we explored how race and white supremacy have led to the current anti-immigrant sentiment as well as the ways in which we can build power that achieves racial and migrant justice. Thank you to all who were involved, contributed and attended.
Please read on to find updates and news from us on the government’s new immigrations plan, refugee week craftivism action, new workshops from Sanctuary Everywhere and QPSW, and more.
Tatiana Garavito and Philip Wood
QPSW Sanctuary Everywhere team
How Quakers can respond to the government's new immigration plan
Recently the UK Government has set out its new proposal for immigration. QARN have written exploring the UK government's new immigration plan and outline what we should do to respond.
Answer the survey, leaving out any questions where you don't know how to respond. Even if you just respond to the multiple-choice questions, it will make a difference.
A group of Friends starting in Scotland and now joined by Quakers from across Britain, have been meeting fortnightly to work out how to contribute to a welcoming environment for people seeking sanctuary.
Their first initiative was using craftivism to approach politicians and accommodation providers to ask them to consider the human needs of our new friends seeking sanctuary.
Most recently the group has been working on an approach for Refugee Week, 14-20 June, whose key words this year are “we cannot walk alone“ . They are making cut-out chains of people made of fabric or stiff paper to be left prominently in public places during refugee week. Ideas and resources will be available on the BYM website shortly.
The group meets online on Zoom on the first and third Thursdays of the month at 11am. The next two dates are 15th April and 6th May. The link to join these sessions is
QPSW Spring Sessions - What love can do
Join us for our new online workshop sessions to find out more about the peace & social witness work of Quakers in Britain. There will be workshops facilitated by staff from the various areas of QPSW's programmes.
In particular, our team will be co-hosting a session on "A brief story of climate justice: from slavery to now" with the Economics and Sustainability programme on Tuesday 25 May 5:30–7pm. The session will explore climate activism and the intersections between climate justice and racial justice. We’d love to see you there!
Last month saw the launch of the short film "Roots", as short film about migration produced, in part, by QARN member Catherine Henderson.
"If we were able to trace our ancestors beyond the neat branches of our immediate family trees, we would find something more like a mesh of interwoven roots spreading all across the world. This film tells the story of us all, whether we come from a family that’s stayed in the same area for generations, or have travelled half way round the world in search of somewhere safe to live.
So how different actually are we, when it comes down to it? What is it that makes us secure? What can we learn from our earliest ancestors that can help us in our journeys into the future?
This short stop-motion animation uses music, words and images to explore questions like these. It is suitable for all age groups." Read more on Roots (Inscape Animations)
Thank you for reading!
As always, if you or your meeting have any work or projects to share or you have needs for support please get in contact with Tatiana or Philip. We would love to hear from you.
Join our Sanctuary Everywhere closed Facebook group here:bit.ly/2ATALLw
