Cindy Courtillier
Food Parcel Endurance Challenge
Fundraising for Scottish Refugee Council
Story
Participants:
Anneli Carroll, Keith Baker and Cindy Courtillier
Between 7th and 13th June, all three of us will be taking part in the Food Parcel Endurance Challenge to raise awareness about the problem of destitution amongst ‘refused’ asylum seekers. We have chosen to do it next week to coincide with National “Refugee Week” (14-22 June).
We will be living off a British Red Cross food parcel for the week, to raise funds for the Scottish Refugee Council www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk Please sponsor us!
Our diary entries will be posted on the following blog during Refugee Week (14-22 June): www.refugeeweekscotland.posterous.com
Many thanks for your support! :-)
What does the challenge involve?
The challenge involves living off a British Red Cross food parcel for one week, to experience what life is like for a refused asylum seeker every week of the year. This includes basics such as bread, rice, pasta, tinned tomatoes and a small amount of fruit and vegetables. See the full list of items below.
Asylum seekers receive a weekly allowance of approx. £35-40 for all food and travel. When someone’s application for asylum is refused, however, the Home Office allows them two weeks' notice to leave their accommodation, at which time their financial provision will be stopped.
It is at this stage that Government policy on immigration and asylum creates ‘Living Ghosts’. They are essentially airbrushed out of existence as ‘failed’ asylum-seekers, but they remain here and this reality goes unnoticed by society at large.
Some find themselves in houses provided by charitable organisations; others sofa-surf between those who will take pity on them or are forced to live on the streets. Without a national insurance number they are not even eligible to access homeless hostels. It is illegal for them to work to support themselves. Many of them rely on the basic food parcel provided by destitution projects and community groups across the country.
Why are asylum seekers destitute?
Two out of every three asylum seekers, who flee persecution in their home countries due to civil war or for political or ethnic reasons, are refused sanctuary in the UK by the Home Office. Unable to prove their stories, they are forced onto the streets with no means of support and no right to work. They are told to go back to their home countries, yet some cannot get the necessary travel documents, or there is simply no safe route back to their country due to conflicts or political turmoil. Many more fear persecution, torture, or even death if they return to the countries they fled from, preferring to live a life of destitution in the UK.
Failed asylum seekers are sometimes entitled to claim ‘Section 4 support’ if they are unable to leave the UK for some reason. The rules for Section 4 support are very strict however. They must prove that they are destitute and that one of the following applies to them:
‘Section 4 support’ gives failed asylum seekers access to accommodation, and they may also receive a weekly allowance of up to £35.00 which is made available to them through a payment card, called Azure, that can be used in supermarkets. There is no cash support available under Section 4.
The problem is that whilst waiting for their claims to be processed, failed asylum seekers are left destitute. In addition, the Azure payment card brings about a range of issues, i.e:
What can we do about this?
Many people are unaware of the way failed asylum seekers are treated in the UK and often the first step to changing legislation is to change public opinion. Here are some of things you can do to help:
- You can attend an event during Refugee Week to find out more about the issues: www.refugeeweek.org.uk/InYourArea - You can take part in the Food Parcel Endurance challenge and raise money for the the Scottish Refugee Council or another organisation of your choice - You can write to your MP and the Home Office to voice your concerns about the current legislation
What is included in the British Red Cross Food Parcel?
Below is the full list of items included in a weekly Food Parcel (for one person). All items must be the cheapest supermarket brand. 1x orange
1x banana
1x pear
1x apple
2x carrots
2x onions
2x potatoes
1x pepper OR 25g chilli peppers
1x tin of spaghetti in tomato sauce
1x tin of baked beans
1x tin soup (chicken OR vegetable OR tomato)
1x tin of tomatoes
1x tin of garden peas
1x tin of sweetcorn
1x tin chick peas
1x tin of hotdogs
1x small tin of tuna
1x small tin of sardines
1x loaf of white OR brown bread
250g pasta twists OR spaghetti
250g long grain white rice
250g semolina
200g sugar
250g salt
0.5 litres vegetable oil
20 teabags
1x carton of apple OR orange juice (1 litre)
1x carton of UHT longlife milk (1 litre)
100g bar of chocolate
100g peanuts
1x packet of biscuits
Vegetarians will substitute the meat/fish items for beans.
Between 7th and 13th June, all three of us will be taking part in the Food Parcel Endurance Challenge to raise awareness about the problem of destitution amongst ‘refused’ asylum seekers. We have chosen to do it next week to coincide with National “Refugee Week” (14-22 June).
We will be living off a British Red Cross food parcel for the week, to raise funds for the Scottish Refugee Council www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk Please sponsor us!
Our diary entries will be posted on the following blog during Refugee Week (14-22 June): www.refugeeweekscotland.posterous.com
Many thanks for your support! :-)
What does the challenge involve?
The challenge involves living off a British Red Cross food parcel for one week, to experience what life is like for a refused asylum seeker every week of the year. This includes basics such as bread, rice, pasta, tinned tomatoes and a small amount of fruit and vegetables. See the full list of items below.
Asylum seekers receive a weekly allowance of approx. £35-40 for all food and travel. When someone’s application for asylum is refused, however, the Home Office allows them two weeks' notice to leave their accommodation, at which time their financial provision will be stopped.
It is at this stage that Government policy on immigration and asylum creates ‘Living Ghosts’. They are essentially airbrushed out of existence as ‘failed’ asylum-seekers, but they remain here and this reality goes unnoticed by society at large.
Some find themselves in houses provided by charitable organisations; others sofa-surf between those who will take pity on them or are forced to live on the streets. Without a national insurance number they are not even eligible to access homeless hostels. It is illegal for them to work to support themselves. Many of them rely on the basic food parcel provided by destitution projects and community groups across the country.
Why are asylum seekers destitute?
Two out of every three asylum seekers, who flee persecution in their home countries due to civil war or for political or ethnic reasons, are refused sanctuary in the UK by the Home Office. Unable to prove their stories, they are forced onto the streets with no means of support and no right to work. They are told to go back to their home countries, yet some cannot get the necessary travel documents, or there is simply no safe route back to their country due to conflicts or political turmoil. Many more fear persecution, torture, or even death if they return to the countries they fled from, preferring to live a life of destitution in the UK.
Failed asylum seekers are sometimes entitled to claim ‘Section 4 support’ if they are unable to leave the UK for some reason. The rules for Section 4 support are very strict however. They must prove that they are destitute and that one of the following applies to them:
- - They have applied to return home and are waiting for the arrangements to be finalised.
- - They are unfit for travelling
- - The Home Secretary says that there is no safe route of return to their country
- - They have applied for a judicial review of their asylum claim decision.
- - They wish to make a fresh claim for asylum or a claim under Article 3 of the Human Rights Act.
‘Section 4 support’ gives failed asylum seekers access to accommodation, and they may also receive a weekly allowance of up to £35.00 which is made available to them through a payment card, called Azure, that can be used in supermarkets. There is no cash support available under Section 4.
The problem is that whilst waiting for their claims to be processed, failed asylum seekers are left destitute. In addition, the Azure payment card brings about a range of issues, i.e:
- - It's not possible to carry over more than £5 from one week to the next, which means failed asylum seekers can’t save money to buy more expensive items, such as clothing.
- - The Azure card is often refused or declined in supermarkets as staff are not made aware of the scheme.
- - The Azure card cannot be used on public transport so failed asylum seekers have to walk to get to the supermarkets, sometimes over long distances, which can exacerbate health problems.
- - By having no cash, failed asylum seekers are excluded from sources of cheaper food, healthcare, clothing and household products such as markets and local shops.
- - The Azure card has a stigmatising effect on failed asylum seekers.
What can we do about this?
Many people are unaware of the way failed asylum seekers are treated in the UK and often the first step to changing legislation is to change public opinion. Here are some of things you can do to help:
- You can attend an event during Refugee Week to find out more about the issues: www.refugeeweek.org.uk/InYourArea - You can take part in the Food Parcel Endurance challenge and raise money for the the Scottish Refugee Council or another organisation of your choice - You can write to your MP and the Home Office to voice your concerns about the current legislation
What is included in the British Red Cross Food Parcel?
Below is the full list of items included in a weekly Food Parcel (for one person). All items must be the cheapest supermarket brand. 1x orange
1x banana
1x pear
1x apple
2x carrots
2x onions
2x potatoes
1x pepper OR 25g chilli peppers
1x tin of spaghetti in tomato sauce
1x tin of baked beans
1x tin soup (chicken OR vegetable OR tomato)
1x tin of tomatoes
1x tin of garden peas
1x tin of sweetcorn
1x tin chick peas
1x tin of hotdogs
1x small tin of tuna
1x small tin of sardines
1x loaf of white OR brown bread
250g pasta twists OR spaghetti
250g long grain white rice
250g semolina
200g sugar
250g salt
0.5 litres vegetable oil
20 teabags
1x carton of apple OR orange juice (1 litre)
1x carton of UHT longlife milk (1 litre)
100g bar of chocolate
100g peanuts
1x packet of biscuits
Vegetarians will substitute the meat/fish items for beans.