Thanks for visiting my sponsorship page.
My Name is Jamie, I am 23 years old, work for
Positive Action in Housing, I am a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament for
Glasgow Anniesland and the Chair of the Glasgow Youth Council.
I will be racing in the Glasgow 10K on the 5th of September and then I'm going to sleep out for one night on November 6th 2010 to raise money for the Hardship fund for destitute asylum seekers in Glasgow which is run by the charity Positive Action in Housing.
Positive Action in Housing’s Destitution Hardship Fund currently supports many people, especially young people, pregnant women and the elderly. Many are from Iraq, Iran, Somalia, DR Congo, China and other countries with known records of human rights abuses. They have been forced out of their homes in an attempt to force them to return to their countries of origin.
The hardship fund tries to give a breathing space to people while they work out what to do, by providing food or by arranging free, temporary shelter in someone's home. Positive Action in Housing gives out 2,000 pounds a month to destitute asylum seekers and their families in Glasgow. My goal is to raise 5,000 pounds.
I have seen, first hand, the impact that destitution has on people’s wellbeing and mental health and know how much of a difference the Destitution Hardship fund can make.
In March 2010, a Russian family of three committed suicide after they were told by their accommodation providers and the UKBA that they were no longer entitled to support. They seen this as their only solution as they could not return to their home country and did not want to face living on the streets. I often think what the impact would be on communities if we were not able to offer the small amounts of financial support we give out and that makes me even more passionate about my work and the work Positive Action in Housing does. I have many friends who have come from countries like Afghanistan, Kosovo and Iraq and see how much of a difference they have made, not only to my life, but the people who live in their community. I don’t want someone else to have to go through what the Russian family did. No one should be treated so badly, by a system that is meant to protect and look after them, that they take their life.
The amounts below are an example of how much is given from the destitution fund to destitute asylum seekers. Our caseworkers aim to help as many people as possible, but we need more money to keep the fund open;-
£5 - One day of food for a Destitute Asylum Seeker
£15 - One night’s hostel accommodation
£75 - One week’s Hostel Accommodation
£150 - One week’s accommodation for a family
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe – they’ll never send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to Positive Action in Housing Ltd's destitution fund, and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate.
So please donate whatever you can.
