How Greater Manchester is Proudly Standing by Refugees and People Seeking Asylum
Refugees and people seeking asylum in Greater Manchester will be offered an integrated and sustained support through a new support partnership by the major refugee’s service providers in the area.
The Greater Manchester Refugee Support Partnership (GMRSP) is a joint partnership between Refugee Action, Rainbow Haven, Revive, and the British Red Cross funded by the Big Lottery Fund. The partnership commenced in May 2015.
GMRSP was launched on Friday 15 January 2016 at the Imperial War Museum North, Manchester.
GMRSP aims to:
-
support 9,000 refugees and asylum seekers (RAS) over five years and will operate across Manchester, Oldham, Salford, Rochdale and Bolton.
-
Improve positive attitudes and better understanding of RAS in the media and local communities.
The launch event included a debate on the opportunities Manchester’s devolved health and social care budget provides Greater Manchester to become a leading city in welcoming refugees and asylum seekers.
The aim of the event was to raise awareness of the partnership and the opportunity to be part of the steering group and to generate positive media coverage of the many issues faced by RAS.
Highlights
-
A performance by the Revive Action Group, an advocacy group set up in Manchester 2012, to champion the cause of refugees and people seeking asylum. A personal testimony by drama group member Chenai Mudzamiri.
-
A panel debate chaired by Allan Beswick, panel members included:
-
Wonder Phiri, Former service user and refugee service co-ordinator, Kate Green, MP, Rebecca Farrington, a GP with a special interest in refugee mental health for Greater Manchester West Mental Health Trust, Tony Lloyd interim Mayor of Greater Manchester, Jonathan Darling, senior lecturer in human geography at the University of Manchester, specialising in research on asylum and refugee integration in British cities, Sean Anstee, Leader of Trafford Borough council
-
134 guests including the panel and drama group
Quotes
Servicer user – Chenai Mudzamiri, who faced homelessness and destitution while going through the asylum process in Manchester and is studying for a degree at the University of Salford, said “I was given food and clothes by Revive, food from the Red Cross, when I had nowhere to live I went into Revive and they helped me find accommodation. I wouldn’t have made it without these charities’ support. Now I have got friends, family, support networks in Manchester.”
Panel member – Jonathan Darling “I really enjoyed the launch and the chance to hear more about the work of the partnership. Do pass on details of the steering group once you have these and if you need anything else do let me know.”
Attendees – “Informative and interesting” “ Chenai’s testimony/experiences exceptionally good – making the issue real” “Great event” “Well- thought out theme for the panel” “Excellent Day” “Good panel of speakers and service user voice” “Jonathan and Rebecca spoke very well on the panel” “ Dr Darling very interesting on re-framing and communities issues – would be good to learn more from him.”
Chenai’s story was the most successful tweet of the event.
View the Photostream of the event on Flickr
How GMRSP Works for You
We have recognised, through learning from the evaluations, that having to travel across Greater Manchester to access support has been an issue. For example a number of men living in Bolton stopped coming to the BRC men’s group as the travelling was too much (nearly two hours each way). We would like to be more responsive to the needs of service users, taking our services to them wherever possible.
GMRSP will run (see below) a network of six hubs replicating two of the existing drop-ins currently being delivered by Rainbow Haven and Revive. These drop-ins in Manchester and Salford will become the first two hubs in the network with the BRC establishing two new hubs in Bolton and Oldham in year one and the final two in Wigan and Rochdale in year two.
Each hub will operate for one day per week and will provide a welcoming social space for RAS where food and light refreshments will be provided.
Free support for asylum seekers and refugees in Greater Manchester
-
Advice information and emergency support
-
English classes
-
Meeting people and making friends
Visit one of our centres or phone us to find out more.
-
Bolton
Mondays 10.00am – 3.00pm
Victoria Hall Mission, 37 Knowsley Street, Bolton. BL1 2AS
M: 0791 208 0890
www.redcross.org.uk/north
-
Manchester
Beswick
Tuesday 11.30am – 4.00pm
St Brigid’s Parish Hall, 183 Grey Mare Lane, Beswick, Manchester. M11 3ND
M: 0750 066 2596 or T: 0161 223 5668
www.revive-uk.org
Gorton
Tuesday and Thursdays 10.00am – 3.00pm
PJS Church Hall, 113 Abbey Hey Lane, Manchester. M18 8TJ
T: 0161 370 3472
www.rainbowhaven.org.uk
-
Oldham
Wednesday 10.00am – 3.00pm
Oldham Baptist Church, Chaucer Street, Oldham. 0L1 1BA
M: 0791 208 0890
www.redcross.org.uk/north
-
Salford
Wednesday 11.00am – 4.00pm
Spiritan Centre, Northallerton Road, Lower Kersal. M7 3TD
M: 0750 066 2595.
www.revive-uk.org
*Wednesdays 10.00am – 3.00pm
The Emmanuel Centre, 174 Langworthy Road, Salford. M6 5PN
T: 0161 370 3472
www.rainbowhaven.org.uk
Refugee Action
Canada House, 3 Chepstow Street, Manchester. M1 5FW
Referrals can be made to our preventing homelessness service.
T: 0161 31 5420 (Mon – Wed)
www.refugee-action.org.uk