Hope July Update

Hope, optimism, difficulties, oranges and stars all feature in our midsummer update...

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Hope midsummer 2016 update

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This is one of my favourite pictures, a lino-cut by Namibian artist John Muafangejo, a hopeful image out of the worst times of apartheid. We are not there yet, but we are living through extraordinary times. The vote to leave the European Union and the resulting political chaos is unsettling and unprecedented. The referendum campaign seems to have legitimated a backlash against anyone foreign, anyone different. However you voted, the 'breaking point' poster and the unfocused demand to 'take our country back' show just how far we have gone. The difficulties in British society are more real and more present now than at any time I have ever known.

Refused asylum seekers are especially vulnerable. Can you imagine what it must be like to be homeless and destitute on streets that seem increasingly hostile? There are hopeful signs, for example the 'safety pin' campaign and the #moreincommon movement that has come about as a reaction to the murder of Jo Cox.

Hope Projects has become more important than ever; offering people at risk a safe place to live and enough money to survive on. And now, following our successful registration with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner, we can give legal advice and representation to help our residents get out of the nightmare world of destitution for ever. We are not just hoping for better for our people, we are working hard with them to make it happen. In spite of the present difficulties.

We're legal!

Legal advice is central to our plans at Hope Projects. For the many people who have fallen through the asylum system, and who have a real fear of persecution if they return home, the only answer is a legal challenge to flawed decisions. Cuts to legal aid have made this harder and harder, leaving people in limbo.

Its been a lot of work to get accreditation to offer legal advice and representation, but last month we achieved it. Aliya deserved more than this small cake for her part in this. Very few small charities can do this. In fact Hope is unique in being able to offer housing, financial support and legal advice in one package. Together with our partners we are looking forward to successfully challenging flawed asylum decisions so people at risk can get protection and start building new lives here in Britain. Here is Phil Davis talking about Aliya's work.

If you do not already do so, please consider a donation to Hope Projects.

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In short

10,000 oranges
Hope was the recipient of a visit, and an awful lot of oranges, from the wonderful 'around the world with 10,000 oranges' project. You can find out more about the project by clicking here. The photo is taken in the lovely Hope garden.

STARs

The brilliant Birmingham University Student Action for Refugees group have helped us in so many ways this year, ending up running the Birmingham 10K to raise money for Hope residents. Thank you! Click here if you want to join them and raise funds for Hope

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The easiest was to keep up to date with whats going on at Hope Projects is at our Facebook page at Hope Projects. You'll find video, pictures, news and information about Hope. Give us a 'like'.

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