Monday 26 October 2015

Prisons Week 15th November 2015

I am delighted that Prisons week 2015 will be launched in the Diocese at Choral Evensong on Sunday 15th November in the Cathedral at 4.00 pm.

Prisoners' Week began in England and Wales in 1975 and was formed to encourage prayer within churches and the wider Christian community for he needs of prisoners. This they did by producing each year a prayer and information leaflet for use on the third Sunday in November, designated Prisoners' Sunday, with the week observed until the following Saturday. It had its beginnings as a Roman Catholic initiative by Bishop Victor Guazzelli, but quickly gained ecumenical support and became an ecumenical observance, receiving the patronage of: The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of Westminster, the Archbishop of Wales and the Moderator of the Free Churches Group.

Our preacher will be Janet Thomas, Janet was the Area Director for Lancashire Probation Trust until the recent re-organisation of the Probation Service, and the creation of the National Offender Management Service. Janet is now the Divisional Lead for Public Protection for the Northwest, covering all of the area from Cumbria to Cheshire.

As the Diocese with one of the largest number of prisons in our borders we have been involved in supporting Prison Chaplains and those who are involved in the Criminal Justice System for a number of years.

This service will give us the opportunity to hear from those involved, staff and prisoners, and to give some time to reflect on their needs and the needs of those who are affected by their actions; to take stock and celebrate the unique ministry that is Prison Chaplaincy. Chaplaincy lies at the heart of the prison system providing much needed pastoral care and support for prisoners, staff and their families.

It is also an opportunity to thank God for all those who volunteer in prison chaplaincy. We couldn't be as effective as we are without the generous time and talents given by so many of our volunteers. Some support our Sunday worship whilst others help run our courses. Others come in to prison as ‘Official Prison Visitors' providing much needed company and support for those prisoners who have no one to visit them.

Everyone needs those few words of encouragement. We grow stronger, we see things more clearly, and we achieve more. Justice surely hopes that there will be a sense of healing, a chance to see things differently, and a new future for all those affected by crime and imprisonment. To achieve this we need each other, and in particular we need each other's words of encouragement. This Prisons Week let us pray for all those affected by prison, that we may build a sense of hope in each other that life will in some measure be restored

This will be a wonderful, joyous and uplifting occasion and we do hope as many of you as possible will be able to join us. If you are not able to join us then will you please pray for us using the Prison Week Prayer, and the leaflet attached?

Lord, you offer freedom to all people.
We pray for those in prison.
Break the bonds of fear and isolation that exist.
Support with your love prisoners and their families and friends,
Prison staff and all who care.
Heal those who have been wounded by the activities
of others, especially the victims of crime.
Help us to forgive one another.
To act justly,
love mercy and walk humbly together with Christ in His strength

and in His Spirit, now and every day. Amen.

Friday 2 October 2015

Refugee Update Briefing 2/10/15

Well, having sat through some meetings the cloud is not thinning very much.

What do we know?

·       An extra 20,000 Syrian Vulnerable Persons will be resettled during this parliament (up to 2020)
·       Those who come will
o   be housed by the Local authority (NOT necessarily in LA housing) and not by Serco who resettle the present refugees. The housing will need to be furnished!
o   by given 5 year right to remain
o   be eligible for benefits and be able to work
o   be given a welcome pack of groceries; cash clothing etc and £200 to help them settle in.
o   need an Individual Support Plan including health and education needs.

What are the questions?

·       Where is the funding coming from? They are allowed to stay for 5 years but funding has only been committed for ONE year.
·       How will the housing be found? Private landlords?
·       Should all the housing be in one area or dispersed across a District or Borough?
·       Are there enough places in the local schools for the intake?
o   If not should they be bussed or would they be better kept together in one school?
o   20 families could mean an extra 40 – 60 children of school age.
·       Can the healthcare system cope with the sudden influx – esp GP’s?
o   Who will be responsible to ensure that they register?
·       When will the first ones begin to arrive?
o   The process map below shows the convoluted system. Not until step 4 will the Local area even have a clue that someone is likely to arrive.
o   It is likely to take up to 5 months for the identification to take place and so the first people being accepted under this expansion could arrive around Christmas or New Year (assuming the process started when it was announced)


How will it work?


1 Criteria: Referrals will be assessed against UNHCR Humanitarian Assessment Process (HAP) and then specific UK vulnerability criteria prioritising help for survivors of torture and violence, and women and children at risk or in need of medical care.
2 Partners: Local providers will need to work closely with primary and secondary healthcare providers, education and housing providers drawing on NGOs and specialist services as required.

3 Checklist: An assessment checklist is being developed to assist local providers in making the case acceptance decision.

Wednesday 30 September 2015

Deprivation strikes again



The new deprivation figures are released today. So what does it say about the Diocese?
A quick look at the  figures (not at a very detailed level yet) shows that:
  • ·        32.9% of children in Blackpool live in a household with Income Deprivation
  • ·        22.8% of working age adults in Blackpool have employment deprivation – 2nd worst LA in country
  • ·        25.7% of population in Blackpool live in an income deprived household
  • ·        Lancashire is the 8th most deprived Local Enterprise Partnership area in the country
  Since 2010
o   Blackpool has moved from 9th most deprived to 7th most deprived area of the country
o   Blackburn with Darwen have moved from 11th to 12th
o   Burnley have moved from 12th to 9th
o   Pendle have remained static at 18th
o   And Hyndburn have joined the ranks of the 10% most deprived at 22nd
As we would expect the major areas of deprivation are still around Blackpool, Fleetwood and East Lancashire mill towns, with some also around Morecambe and Lancaster.

More details will follow as the figures are investigated in more detail.

[Source: The English Indices of Deprivation 2015 Statistical Release – Released 30/9/2015 – HM Government DCLG]

Tuesday 22 September 2015

Call to Action

The Cinnamon Network have been approached by Government to find out if Churches are able to support refugees as they come in.

As of October, the Government is seeking to house 100 refugees per week, not in settlement camps, but directly into different communities across the UK.

Your help is needed.

Would your local church network be willing, in principle, to work with others in your community to be part of the resettlement and welcome for these refugees?

The Cinnamon Network are working with Derby Community Church and their ‘Welcome Box’ initiative which they have established over the last 3 years. 

The idea is simple but effective: local church members visit newly housed refugees to welcome them to the community with a Welcome Box containing practical gifts and information and as a way of helping them starting new relationships and the journey of integration into the local community. 

In the last 12 months this one church has welcomed 150 refugees to Derby, and has begun to build friendships and relationships with them. This is an approach that Cinnamon believes is replicable in churches and local church networks across the country and so is helping run a ‘Welcome Box’ training and preparation day on Friday 9th October.

Cinnamon would like to be able to go the British government next week with a list of some of local church networks from around the country, and say that, if invited, these congregations would love to welcome refugees into their communities, possibly using the Welcome Box approach.

Can you help?


Time is of the essence with this initiative. Could you somehow make time this week to discuss this idea with the people you need to and see if this is something you believe God wants you to be involved in?

The Church is unique as an organisation in that we have 50,000 ‘local branches’ across the country, both large and small, with people ready and willing to take the love of Jesus to those most in need in their communities. Can we step up to the plate and respond quickly to this need?

Part of this will depend upon where the Government decide to house them – no doubt using SERCO who they use at present.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW BY 30TH SEPTEMBER IF YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN BE INVOLVED AS PART OF A GROUP.

ed.saville@blackburn.anglican.org

Wednesday 9 September 2015

Refugees The next step

The Next Step?

  

Places of Sanctuary  


There are now 40 ‘Cities of Sanctuary’ in the UK. Places which offers a culture of hospitality for people seeking sanctuary in the UK. Building a network of boroughs, towns and cities throughout the country which are proud to be places of safety for people seeking sanctuary and helping them integrate into their local communities.
The movement should be broad based in all parts of the society and places such as schools, universities, health and maternity services, theatres and arts centres, churches and other faith centres, sports, communities, businesses and homes can all become ‘places of sanctuary’. A key element of these ‘streams of sanctuary’ relationships is awareness raising, telling the true stories of refugees to those who never hear them.
At this time, should we not be thinking of stimulating this move in Lancashire? I know that Lancaster is starting, but what about your town, your borough, your city?  Building a network of places committed to this would start to address the bias in the usual reporting of migrants.
If we can demonstrate that people are willing to help; to house; to integrate refugees into their communities the politicians would have to take notice.

How does it work?

The City of Sanctuary website https://cityofsanctuary.org/ guides you through the process and gives you the opportunity to become part of a generous, movement aimed at relieving the suffering of some of the most damaged people.

Why not start the process today and do keep in touch via this blog if you start to set one up – it would be good to hear from you.

Refugees - where now?

So there we are then, it's now alright. It has been decided that we accept 4,000 a year for the next 5 years. Now that will make a HUGE difference to the numbers trying to leave a war torn area. Still I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies and say - 'nice start - now let's do it properly'.

I have been asked what people can do NOW. The honest answer is - if you are not in an area where Refugees are already being housed - not a lot, physically.But there are other options

The charities working with the refugees are always seeking support so ...

Refugee Charities

To make donations there are many national and some local charities involved.


Refugee Council: A donation of £100 could pay for the education and travel for two children for a week http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/

UNICEF The UN’s children’s charity is providing life-saving supplies such as clean water, medicine and psychological support. It says a donation of £9 could provide an emergency water kit for a family. http://www.unicef.org.uk/

Migrant Offshore Aid Station: The charity which runs independent rescue boats to rescue migrants at risk of drowning http://www.moas.eu/

Médecins Sans Frontières: The humanitarian agency has three rescue ships in the Mediterranean, http://www.msf.org.uk/

Save the Children: It says a donation of £50 could buy two hygiene kits including soap, towels and toothbrushes https://secure.savethechildren.org.uk/donate/

British Red Cross: A donation of £30 could buy 28 mats to help Syria refugees cope with the cold. http://www.redcross.org.uk/syriacrisis/

Islamic Relief: Three families could be fed for a month on a donation of £210, the charity says. http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/current-appeals/syria-appeal/

The crowdfunding website Just Giving has a list of specific appeals for migrants in Calais. It includes one of students trying to raise £750 to buy mobile phones, footballs, camping equipment, dictionaries, storage boxes, sanitary items and waterproof clothing.

The UNHCR is running camps, providing shelter and aid to refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, as well as helping refugees across Europe.

British Red Cross are running a drop in at St. Cuthbert’s Fulwood if you want the donation to be local

In addition there are a number of other local initiatives – usually revolving around Calais.


Blackpool Fylde Preston Supporting Calais Refugees https://www.facebook.com/groups/supportingrefugees/

Calais Action – Blackpool Preston Fylde https://www.facebook.com/events/1489962354656532/


Parts of Lancashire has suffered from a lack of safe drinking water and will be in receipt of compensation from United Utilities - one suggestion is that the compensation could be passed on to a suitable charity to help the plight of those who have no homes, with or without water.

The response we offer should hold to our Christian values; seeking to be generous with the love we give in the way the God was generous with his love for us in the life of his Son, Jesus Christ.


Friday 4 September 2015

Refugee – Asylum Seeker – Economic Migrant??

Some facts for you to consider
We’re all familiar with the scare stories about asylum seekers ‘flooding’ the UK. But how do these tales of mass invasion stand up against the statistical data?

How many people in the UK are asylum seekers?
Far fewer people come to the UK to apply for asylum than you might think.
More than 50 million people throughout the world were forced to flee their homes last year. There are more than 13 million refugees worldwide - but developing countries host over 80% of people.
There are an estimated 126,000 refugees living in the UK. That's just 0.19% of the total population (64.1 million people). 
How many asylum seekers came to the UK in 2014?
The UK received 31,400 asylum applications.
This was less than Germany (166,800), France (63,100), Italy (56,300) and Sweden (81,300).
Just 41% of people applying for an initial decision were granted asylum and allowed to stay.
Many are initially refused because it is difficult to provide the evidence needed to meet the strict criteria of a refugee.
Which countries do asylum seekers come from?
More than half of the world's refugees (52%) came from just five countries in 2014.
Numbers of people per country:
·        Syria: 3 million
·        Afghanistan: 2.7 million
·        Somalia: 1.1 million
·        Sudan: 670,000
·        South Sudan: 508,000 

What do the terms mean? 
In the eyes of much of the UK public, the terms ‘refugee’, ‘asylum seeker’ and ‘migrant’ have almost blurred into one. This is far from the truth (and far from helpful).
Here's a handy guide to the different terms:
Asylum seeker
·        flees their homeland
·        arrives in another country , whichever way they can
·        makes themselves known to the authorities
·        submits an asylum application
·        has a legal right to stay in the country while awaiting a decision.
Refugee
·        has proven to the authorities that they would be at risk if returned to their home country
·        has had their claim for asylum accepted by the government
·        can now stay here either long-term or indefinitely.
Refused asylum seeker
·        has been unable to prove that they would face persecution back home
·        has been denied protection by the authorities
·        must now leave the country, unless they wish to appeal the decision or there are legitimate reasons why they cannot yet return home.
Economic migrant
·        has moved to another country to work
·        could be legally or illegally resident, depending on how they entered the country
·        may or may not have a legal work permit.
Sources: Home Office, Immigration Statistics, Oct to Dec 2014; UNHCR mid-year report 2014; Office for National Statistics (mid 2013).

So those are some fact – what is the Christian Perspective?

We have been told by the Prime Minister that there is "a swarm of people coming across the Mediterranean, seeking a better life, wanting to come to Britain". We have been told by some of the press that “Migrants take all our jobs” and that the “EU faces a migrant problem of biblical proportions”. Is it really the case that there are just people trying hard to get here without any other reason than they think our weather is so good?
Surely not! There are vested interests at work here; but our faith and out humanity should override them.
Put aside for the moment the stories of the exodus and other migrations in the Old Testament – though they may become relevant. Think rather of the situation around the 4 BC. People were being forced to move around in the area we now call the Middle East; with the threat of force being used if they didn’t move voluntarily.
It was in these circumstances that one inn keeper was heard to say (according to the daily paper in Bethlehem) “we’re full – we don’t want any more northern foreigners round here”. Alright that wasn’t quite true but you understand the point. Jesus was born to a migrant family – who then was greeted by migrants from other lands (bearing gifts) before becoming a refugee fleeing into Egypt. Now I’ve read the stories often; and I’ve not met any mention of Egyptian border guards or Grand Viziers or the like trying to turn them away at the border.
Migration in the area was standard practice – groups moved on a regular basis depending on food and water supply for their flocks – I suppose today we would call them economic migrants; looking for a better life. Is that not a natural process? Which parent does not want their child to grow up into a better world than the one that they inhabited?
Jesus never became an Asylum Seeker because he later returned to his own land when it was safe; but he remained peripatetic – moving from one pace to another and being supported by those whom he served with his ministry. That model of servant ministry is one to which we are all called; how we serve and who we serve remains to be discovered.
Most of Jesus’ ministry was directed towards those who were the outcasts and strangers in society – there may not be a total bias to the poor, but there is certainly a bias to the estranged and neglected.

A need for action

The geopolitical conflict in the Middle East has brought the situation about; the current migrant crisis is a direct result of instability and the international community bears the responsibility for the situation and so should bear the load.
Without action we will see:
·       more deaths in the Mediterranean throughout Europe;
·       more buildings of physical and emotional borders between countries;
·       more xenophobic tendencies arising;
·       more human suffering;
·       and more traffickers callously making a fortune out of other peoples suffering.

Pushing and Pulling

There are different reasons why different types of migrants are attracted to move. The wealthy Russian who wants to buy a football club is pulled to live in London because that is where the finances can have the most effect. Even the drug baron can be pulled to the City to try to launder the illegal gains. But the refugees – who are leaving war torn areas in fear of their lives are being pushed and, despite what politicians may think, no amount of border controls, visa checks, fines for carriers will make any difference.

What can be done?

There are several things which could be done which would make the position both safer for the refugees and more manageable for the governments.
·       We could lift visa restrictions temporarily from the most severely affected countries such as Syria and Eritrea. Immediately, those travelling could take legitimate routes into Europe.
·       Processing at ports of entry could be speeded up. Counter-intuitively, it would allow for greater vigilance over security, which is naturally a concern. Countries  would actually know who had entered their borders.
·       By allowing people to connect with family already here, through a EU wide distribution agreement, settlement would be easier.
Those are all decisions for politicians to take- but we can bring pressure to bear. You could contact your MP asking them to support this plan, and act in a humanitarian way to the humanitarian disaster before it gets worse.

What can be done locally, by a church or individuals?

There are some asylum seekers already in Lancashire; the Red Cross are running sessions at St Cuthbert’s Fulwood. Contact the Red Cross on 01772 707 308 if you feel that you may be able to help.
Do you know of any asylum seekers living near you? They will have been housed by SERCO but could need other help by way of access to Food, clothing etc. Small groups can be really successful at working this through. Contact Ed Saville to talk through the ideas. Ed.saville@blackburn.anglican.org
Look out for petitions etc.  The Iceland government announced that they would take 50 refugee families; a petition with 11,000 signatures offered rooms to house them if the government would take more.
A petition calling on the UK to accept more asylum seekers and refugees could be debated by Parliament after securing more than 100,000 signatures.
It says the UK "is not offering proportional asylum" in comparison with its EU counterparts, amid a surge in migrants trying to reach the continent.
Petitions on Parliament's website that exceed the 100,000 threshold are eligible to be considered by MPs.