Letter to the Citizen
I spent the afternoon writing a letter to the Citizen in response to an article in last week's paper:
The world is in the middle of a terrible refugee crisis. According the the United Nations High Commission on Refugees, there are over 65 million forcibly displaced people in the world - 22.5 million of them have been given official status as refugees.
Two years ago, the photographs of children and families fleeing the war in Syria changed the way many people felt about the refugee crisis. Many citizens of Milton Keynes were moved to help and the Council agree to take our fair share of people from the refugee camps as part of the UK Government's Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS).
The Council, The British Red Cross and Refugees Welcome (RWMK) have been working hard to achieve this goal. Local people have opened their hearts and their homes, and we have now welcomed ten families through the scheme - a total of sixty-three people. It has been hard work, but the warm response from our new Syrian friends has made this hugely moving.
Last week, the Citizen accidentally reported that 60 families have been welcomed. The figure has, in fact been only 10. We are still working towards "our fair share" and there is a way to go still. In the meantime, millions of people, including families, young children and older people, are living in terrible conditions - unable to return home or build a new life. Many have been deeply affected by the aweful things they have seen or experienced.
Refugees can bring enourmous benefits to the UK, including new skills, insights and creativity. Unfortuntely, the journey from first arrival to integration can be long. They often need a lot of support - particulalrly in the areas of language, housing and employment. Refugees Welcome MK is now shifting its attention to these long term needs and will be looking for help with this from communities in the city.
Please don't think that the refugee crisis is over. Milton Keynes is taking a lead and responding with compassion. We hope this will continue in the years ahead.
The world is in the middle of a terrible refugee crisis. According the the United Nations High Commission on Refugees, there are over 65 million forcibly displaced people in the world - 22.5 million of them have been given official status as refugees.
Two years ago, the photographs of children and families fleeing the war in Syria changed the way many people felt about the refugee crisis. Many citizens of Milton Keynes were moved to help and the Council agree to take our fair share of people from the refugee camps as part of the UK Government's Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS).
The Council, The British Red Cross and Refugees Welcome (RWMK) have been working hard to achieve this goal. Local people have opened their hearts and their homes, and we have now welcomed ten families through the scheme - a total of sixty-three people. It has been hard work, but the warm response from our new Syrian friends has made this hugely moving.
Last week, the Citizen accidentally reported that 60 families have been welcomed. The figure has, in fact been only 10. We are still working towards "our fair share" and there is a way to go still. In the meantime, millions of people, including families, young children and older people, are living in terrible conditions - unable to return home or build a new life. Many have been deeply affected by the aweful things they have seen or experienced.
Refugees can bring enourmous benefits to the UK, including new skills, insights and creativity. Unfortuntely, the journey from first arrival to integration can be long. They often need a lot of support - particulalrly in the areas of language, housing and employment. Refugees Welcome MK is now shifting its attention to these long term needs and will be looking for help with this from communities in the city.
Please don't think that the refugee crisis is over. Milton Keynes is taking a lead and responding with compassion. We hope this will continue in the years ahead.
