A summer break

Wednesday's cafe session and our community BBQ last night were our final gatherings before the summer break. Thanks to everyone who have come along and taken part in our sessions since January - here's a short reminder of all that we've been up to over the last seven months.

We'll see you again in September for more and better!

Through their eyes - a glimpse into the experience of Britain's asylum seekers

We had a great gathering on Wednesday, led by Ann-Marie, Dave, Zoe and Beth, looking at the issue of asylum and immigration.

The media paints a very specific image of the types of people that come to the UK seeking refuge and the life they live whilst here, but as we learnt through the case study of Alexander and his Belarusian family (ably voiced by Ann-Marie), the reality of life as an asylum seeker can be quite different to that media stereotype.

Anna Gallagher (Beth's daughter) also provided this excellent video which set the scene for much of the conversation during the evening.

Want to know more?
Read the free booklet from the Refugee Council, The Truth About Asylum.

What can I do to help?
Do you have a spare room? Would you or someone you know be willing to host a destitute asylum seeker for a day, a week, or longer with support from an experiences organisation? If so, visit www.spare-room.org or email hostmigrants@yahoo.co.uk.

Do you have spare time or can you give money? Barnet Refugee Service supports destitute asylum seekers in Barnet. They need volunteers to help at drop-ins and women's groups, to provide advice and do help with admin.