Since 2000 Glasgow has stood proud as a city that welcomes people seeking safety from across the world.
While Glasgow prides itself on welcoming strangers to our city, sadly gaps within the UK’s asylum system abandons people who arrive in Glasgow desperately seeking protection, forcing them into situations of complete destitution.
Every day one in four of the people our staff see are alone, have been left with nothing and are forced to exist in a state of utter hopelessness.
This winter Glasgow is standing up for its reputation as a warm and caring city. People across the city and beyond are coming together to help asylum seekers who are destitute – alone and with nothing.
We tackle the problem at its root
Since we launched our Protection Appeal in November, we have been completely overwhelmed by the response we have received. We are extremely grateful to every single person who has generously donated to our Appeal and those that continue to do so.
As a charity your support helps us continue to provide advice to people through all stages of the asylum process and campaign for a fair and humane asylum system, which provides protection to those who need it most.
A network of support across Glasgow
Scottish Refugee Council wants to stop problems like destitution at its root. Sadly unless government policy changes people will continue to be forced into destitution instead of receiving the protection they need. That’s why our Protection Appeal is so important.
While we continue to provide advice to those seeking safety and campaign for the protection of refugees, a number of organisations across Glasgow provide on the ground support to people seeking asylum who have fallen destitute.
Earlier this week Michelle Lowe from Refugee Survival Trust (RST) shared with us the work RST undertakes to provide direct support to those who end up destitute. You can read her blog here.
On Tuesday 20 December Positive Action in Housing (PAIH) will be giving out survival essentials such as food and clothes to destitute asylum seekers.
Donations such as sealed food items, toiletries and children’s clothes will be gratefully received by PAIH from between 10am to 3pm on any work day except Monday at their office on 98 West George Street, Glasgow until Tuesday 20 December 2011.
