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Campaigners take #OurTurn petition to Downing Street

  • Jo Siedlecka

Lord Alf Dubs led a delegation from Safe Passage UK yesterday, to deliver a petition with more than 33,000 signatures to Downing Street urging them to take in more unaccompanied child refugees.

Lord Dubs, who was one of 10,000 children rescued from Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport shortly before the outbreak of World War Two, was joined by several child refugees, Cllr Julian Bell - leader of Ealing Council, Hammersmith & Fulham Council Council Leader Stephen Cowan, representatives from Westminster Justice and Peace, London Citizens, the Religious Sisters of Charity and about 100 supporters.

Lord Dubs said: "If Britain could help child refugees 80 years ago, we can do the same today. It's #OurTurn."

Supported by Safe Passage, an organisation that helps child refugees find safe and legal routes to sanctuary, the 'Our Turn' campaign is calling on the government to honour that legacy by committing to the UK resettlement of 10,000 unaccompanied and vulnerable
child refugees from Europe and global conflict regions over 10 years, and to establish a permanent protection legacy for child refugees.

Cllr Bell recently visited a refugee camp in France. He said he was shocked at the condition children are living in there. "This is the right thing to do." Ealing has taken in 60 child refugees and is planning to take in more.

Cllr Cowan said that Hammersmith & Fulham Council have also taken in a number of children. "This is a crisis. I don't think we can walk by on the other side of the street," said Cllr Cowan.

"Find out what your council is doing" he said. "If they haven't joined the scheme yet, encourage them to."

At the present time, there are more child refugees in Europe than at any point since World War Two. Many of them are unaccompanied. As winter approaches, some of these youngsters are living in desperate conditions. A number of councils have taken in child refugees - but campaigners hope more will join them.

For more information about Safe Passage see: http://safepassage.org.uk

NOTE:

Help4Refugees hold their annual carol singing at Oxford Circus on Friday 30 November from 3 - 8pm.
People are welcome to join in the singing on one of these time-slots -
A. 3 - 4.30pm
B. 4.30 - 6pm
C. 6-8pm
Or any time you can offer. Volunteers are also needed to shake buckets.

For more information see: www.help4refugees.co.uk


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