How your gift makes a difference
Every Refugee Gift is a real example of JRS UK's work supporting destitute refugees, asylum seekers and people held in immigration detention.
When you purchase a gift, you support the area of our work that this gift represents. There are three areas of work that your gifts support:
1. Refugee Hardship
Refugee friends came to this country in the hope of finding safety. Instead they find themselves facing homelessness and hunger. JRS opens our doors to destitute refugees who aren’t entitled to work or to any support from the state. They are left with nothing to live on – sometimes, for years. Having nowhere to live and no money to buy food in a society that’s hostile to you takes its toll physically and emotionally. Some refugee friends are already extremely vulnerable – traumatised by the experiences that led to them fleeing their home country.
Refugee Hardship Refugee Gifts supports the work of the JRS UK Day Centre to provide a place of warmth, welcome, community, and plenty of pratical support too.
Buy a gift to support refugee hardship
2. Detention
Many of our refugee friends live with the constant threat of being taken into immigration detention. The UK’s detention centres are among the darkest places in our society. Denied their freedom, vulnerable people are forced to endure inhumane conditions – not knowing how or when their detention will end.
Many friends describe being in detention as the most isolating experience they’ve ever faced, and we’re determined to ensure they don’t endure it without support.
Detention Refugee Gifts supports the work of the JRS UK Detention outreach team offering pastoral and practical support to people held in Harmondsworth & Colnbrook.
Buy a gift to support our detention work
3. Legal
The UK immigration system is exceptionally complex and there have been numerous examples of errors and injustice. The JRS Legal Project ensures refugee friends have access to specialist legal advice and representation. Our refugee friends are able speak to lawyers about their case and get a thorough assessment of the legal routes open to them.
Legal Refugee Gifts enables the Legal Project to undertake in depth research to advise on next steps and individual progress cases.
Buy a gift to support our legal work
Refugee Hardship
Buy an Emergency Food Parcel
When access to food becomes scarce, food supplies bring immense joy to a family.
JRS volunteers deliver emergnecy food paracles provide ingredients for refugee friends to prepare meals for them and their families. These food parcales will continue for as long as the health crisis continues.
Detention
Buy a phonecall to a refugee in detention
A loving phone call means so much to a refugee friend feeling isolated in immigration detention.
Many people find themselves being detained indefinitely, with no knowledge of when they will be released. A network of volunteers and staff regularly ring a refugee friend to chat, provide encouragement and offer support. This gift will help support refugee friends who are feeling isolated in immigration detention.
Legal
Welcome a Refugee Friend to JRS
Welcoming a refugee to our community and offering support is a gift of justice.
Welcoming a new refugee friend to JRS UK requires the Legal team and accompaniment volunteers to learn about the experiences of our new friend with the immigration system. These appointments can take up to an hour, but often require a wealth of follow-up work so that our team can ensure they receive the most appropriate immigration advice.
