A PRO-REFUGEE charity in Worcester has been commended by a Green Party city and county councillor.
Tor Pingree, Worcester City Councillor for St Clement and Worcestershire County Councillor for Riverside, has expressed support for the work being carried out by Worcester City Welcomes Refugees as the city celebrates Refugee Week.
Simon Cottingham is part of Worcester City Welcomes.
He said: “Once people fleeing warzones manage to get to our ports, they are placed in temporary accommodation such as hotels until the Home Office processes their asylum claim.
“This takes months, if not years, during which they are not allowed to work or claim benefits.
“Upon receiving refugee status, they have 28 days to leave the temporary accommodation and find somewhere else to live, as well as trying to obtain work, and asylum seekers are often ineligible for the limited amount of social housing in Worcester.
“Very few stay here permanently, but the need for short-term support is massive, especially for mental trauma, though it’s difficult for them to access it.”
As a charity, Worcester City Welcomes assists people of government-supported schemes, such as those who assisted the British Army during the Afghanistan War.
“We feel we have a duty to those who fought alongside our boys and girls,” Mr Cottingham added.
Cllr Pingree said: “In 2019, asylum seekers made up just six per cent of people who immigrated to the UK.
“In 2023, it was up to 11 per cent. This is due to ongoing wars in the world.
“It is more likely than you’d think to meet someone in Worcester who has escaped a warzone, and important to ensure that those who arrive in Worcester do not face persecution.”
Worcester City Welcomes is hosting a series of events across Worcester and Malvern over the weekend for Refugee Week, which runs from Monday (June 16) to Sunday (June 22).
On Saturday (June 21), a storytelling and collaborative art workshop will be held at Worcester Arts Collective between 12pm and 4pm, followed by an exhibition and sale of artwork at the Collective between 7pm and 9pm.
On Sunday (June 22), a walk organised by Amnesty International will begin at British Camp at 11am, and a Bring-and-Share Tea Party will be held at Friends Meeting House, Sansome Walk, from 3pm until 5pm.