Giving

St Chad's Church			St Chad's Church
St Chad's Church		Giving & Caring Charities......Eco-congregation...Gifting

Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (PAFRAS)

Here at St Chad 's we have become aware of the work of PAFRAS, and of the huge need it seeks to meet. We gave PAFRAS a donation from our charitable-giving money, and also food from our Harvest gifts.

However, we've become aware that the need is ongoing, so what more can we do, and why should we?

Imagine a Church Hall, set up with trestle tables and chairs, ready for a group of people to eat a meal. Other tables have second-hand clothes or bedding or towels on them. In the kitchen volunteers are preparing lunch, and there are parcels of emergency food and toiletries ready. A dedicated case worker is on hand to offer advice on matters such as legal assistance, or temporary accommodation. This person and the helping volunteers also offer emotional support and human friendship. This is the scene in St Aidan's Church Hall each Tuesday and Thursday where PAFRAS runs a drop-in centre for asylum seekers.

The people who come to St Aidan's may not have any other source of food all week. More than 50 come to each session. They are destitute, below an underclass, marginalised and vulnerable. In our city of Leeds , there are fellow human beings walking around in destitution, after coming to the UK in the hope of safety from persecution in their own countries. There are possibly 3000 in the Leeds area, in circumstances below poverty. Our media gives all asylum seekers a very bad press, blurring them with economic migrants, and Governments react by making the asylum process so hard to get through that 75% of asylum seekers are refused permission.

The process itself is often very long-drawn out and very confusing, especially if English is not your first language. Most are therefore rejected, and may appeal once, if they know how. Some are rejected, and left in limbo, as the Government is currently not sending people back to their countries for political reasons, eg. Iraq .

So, they are left unable to work, and without support. Some are rejected, but their fear of death is so strong they face destitution here instead. If you get asylum you have 28 days of support in which to find a job. If you don't succeed (and how many people successfully get a job in a month's search?) your support is withdrawn anyway. ‘Support', itself may have been vouchers, which can be used in specific shops only, and may only be used for food items. You are not able to buy soap. Asylum seekers are not allowed to work. The system makes many of us feel ashamed. So, the need is great, and on-going, as PAFRAS relies on donations for all its food.

How you can help

We have put a box in the back of church to receive regular donations from church members, and a group of us will take them to PAFRAS. Please, when you do your shopping, could you buy an extra tin or packet (not fresh food) to help someone who is hungry? Any of these would help:

Tins : meat (not pork), tomatoes, tuna, sardines, vegetables, vegetable soup, fruit, baked beans.

Packets : rice, pasta , noodles, cereals (wheat, oat, rice), semolina, tea bags, sugar, biscuits, chocolate,

Also: long life milk, vegetable oil, fruit juice.

Toiletries, bedding and good second-hand clothes are also much needed.

Matthew 25: 35&36 may inspire us. Can you make it a habit, part of your weekly shop, to get something for these destitute human beings? If you can't get to church one week, donations can be left in the Parish Centre.

ANY donation you can make will help. If you'd like to be a part of the team taking things to St Aidan's please contact one of us.

Gill Griggs and Jenny Willison