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asylum in the media
Asylum dominates the national headlines - but there is another side to the story that goes largely untold.
Latest news
Press Release
12 Jan 12 - National conference for refugee organisations to share success
Representatives from refugee community organisations across the UK are invited to come together to share successes and learning, at the second Basis Project national conference in Birmingham on 24 January 2012.
Press Release
09 Jan 12 - More than half of British public overestimate number of immigrants in UK
Following the publication of British Future's 'Hopes and Fears' poll in The Observer on Sunday, further statistics from the think-tank's report reveal a wide gap between public attitudes and reality on immigration.
Press Release
24 Nov 11 - Refugee Action comments on proposed forcible returns of unaccompanied Afghan children
Refugee Action Chief Executive Dave Garratt comments on reports that the government is considering the forcible return of unaccompanied Afghan children refused asylum.
Press Release
17 Oct 11 - Refugee Action responds to child detention reports
Refugee Action respond to today’s reports that almost 700 children have been detained at ports and airports between May and August this year.
Press Release
14 Oct 11 - Refugee Action ‘disappointed’ at government decision not to opt into EU work directive
Refugee Action's Chief Executive Dave Garratt today expressed his 'disappointment' at the government's decision not to opt into an EU directive which would have given asylum seekers the right to work six months after arriving in the UK.
Press Release
11 Jul 11 - Refugee Action repsponds to news of IAS closure
Refugee Action Chief Executive Dave Garratt comments on the news that the Immigration Advisory Service (the UK’s largest provider of legal aid asylum and immigration services) has gone into administration
Press Release
02 Jun 11 - Refugee Action response to today's report by the
Home Affairs Committee
A response to the Home Affairs Committee report on the UK Border Agency by Dave Garratt, the Chief Executive of Refugee Action.
Press Release
15 Mar 11 - Refugee Action responds to Zimbabwe country ruling
Refugee Action Chief Executive Dave Garratt responds to country guidance determination by the Upper Tribunal for Immigration and Asylum which rules that it is now generally safe for people to return to Zimbabwe.
Press Release
10 Mar 11 - Charities to raise funds in charioke sing-a-thon
FORGET X-Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, this month it's 'Charioke’ fever that will be
hitting London.
Press Release
31 Jan 11 - Refugee Action responds to cuts in refugee and
asylum funding
Refugee Action Chief Executive Dave Garratt responds to government proposals to slash funding to the refugee charity sector.
Press Release
16 Dec 10 - Refugee Action welcomes Governments continued commitment to end child detention
Refugee Action today welcomed the governments continuing commitment to end child detention.
Press Release
23 Nov 10 - Refugee Action urges the Government not to remove people to Central Iraq at this time
Refugee Action today urged the government to stop forcibly removing refused asylum seekers to central Iraq after the European Court of Human Rights and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have expressed serious concern about the security situation in Baghdad
Press Release
17 Nov 10 - Young refugees to make films at Leeds museums
Young refugees and asylum seekers in Leeds will have the chance to create their own animated films through a new project at Leeds City Museum.
Press Release
21 Oct 10 - Refugee Action's response to the Comprehensive Spending Review
Dave Garratt, acting Chief Executive of Refugee Action, responds to the Comprehensive Spending Review in which the Home Office is set to make cuts of 23% to its budget over four years.
Press Release
26 Aug 10 - Refugee Action response to today's control of immigration statistics
Press Release
29 Jul 10 - Refugee Action's response to the launch of the Asylum Improvement Project
Refugee Action today welcomed the launch of the Asylum Improvement Project, an eight-month review of the asylum system, which was announced by Immigration Minister Damian Green.
Press Release
07 Jul 10 - Refugee Action welcomes Supreme Court ruling on gay asylum seekers
The Supreme Court today ruled that two gay men who said they faced persecution in their home countries have the right to asylum.
Press Release
18 Jun 10 - Refugees and asylum seekers get behind England in the world cup
A majority of refugees and asylum seekers are backing England in the World Cup, according to a new nationwide poll.
Press Release
18 Jun 10 - Portsmouth celebrates Refugee Week with music, dance and poetry
FILM screenings, poetry and music from around the world will be the highlight of Portsmouth's Refugee Week celebrations this Saturday (June 19th).
Press Release
18 Jun 10 - Asylum seekers sleep rough on the streets of Leicester, according to new report
ASYLUM SEEKERS are still sleeping on the streets, sofa-surfing and living hand-to-mouth, according to the fifth annual report on destitution in Leicester.
Press Release
17 Jun 10 - Iraqi biologist leads workshop during Refugee Week
A top Iraqi biologist will demonstrate innovative methods of growing plants during a family workshop at MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester), as part of a programme of activities this weekend at the Museum for Refugee Week.
Press Release
14 Jun 10 - Majority of refugees and asylum seekers feel welcomed by the average Brit
The majority of refugees and asylum seekers feel the average British
person welcomes them to Britain, according to a nationwide Ipsos MORI
poll.
Press Release
02 Jun 10 - Brightwide brings refugee stories from the big screen to your computer screen
Brightwide, the new film website created by Colin Firth, and Refugee Action launch online film festival for Refugee Week at the BFI Southbank.
Press Release
02 Jun 2010 - Leicester's very own world cup kicks off this weekend
Refugee footballers from across the world join local players for international tournament.
Press Release
12 May 10 - Today's announcement that the new government has agreed to end child detention was welcomed by Refugee Action.
Jill Roberts, the Chief Executive of Refugee Action, said: "We are delighted that the new government has agreed to end the detention of children for immigration purposes"
Press Release
15 Mar 10 - C4's Secret Millionaire supports Leicester project giving a lifeline to destitute asylum seekers
A project that will provide a lifeline to destitute female asylum seekers in Leicester will become a reality, with help from Channel 4's 'Secret Millionaire'.
Press Release
26 FEB 10 - Asylum target criticism short-sighted: Refugee Action responds to UKBA inspectors report
Criticism of the governments failure to meet targets of concluding 60 per cent of new asylum cases within six months were today branded sort-sighted by Englands leading refugee charity.
Press Release
25 Feb 10 - Asylum Statistics: Refugee Action responds to the control of immigration statistics
ASYLUM SEEKERS whose applications have been fully refused are increasingly choosing to return home voluntarily, according to Home Office statistics released today (Thursday February 25th). The number of enforced removals was down on the previous quarter.
Press Release
03 Feb 10 - Press release from Sandy Buchan, Chief Executive of Refugee Action
"These are serious and appalling allegations that need a full investigation…"
Press Release
03 Dec 09 - Bristol asylum seekers call on government to end destitution on Human Rights Day
Bristolians who have survived human rights abuses and war and sought sanctuary in the UK are to speak out at an event commemorating International Human Rights Day.
Press Release
27 Nov 09 - Bristol plays host to Zimbabwean musical legend
Zimbabwean King of Chimurenga Music comes to Bristol
Press Release
25 Nov 09 - Refugee Action response to quarterly asylum statistics
n response to the third quarterly asylum statistics 2009 released today, Sandy Buchan, Chief Executive of Refugee Action, said: These statistics show that the top countries of origin for asylum seekers are Afghanistan, Iran and Zimbabwe, countries where devastating conflict and human rights abuses are regularly in the news.
Press Release
30 Oct 09 - 'Charioke' fundraising marathon takes the country by storm
Refugee Action and Lucky Voice launch first sponsored karaoke marathon for charity
Press Release
29 Oct 09 - Refugee Action's response to ministerial statement on returns to Zimbabwe
The situation in Zimbabwe is still very fragile and it is vital that people are given adequate time and advice to consider returning there voluntarily. Considerations around forced removals are premature, especially considering today's news that the UN's Special Rapporteur on torture was detained and forcibly removed from Zimbabwe.
Press Release
26 Oct 09 - Refugee Action alarmed by decision that Afghanistan is safe for civilians
CIVILIANS fleeing the ongoing war in Afghanistan risk being turned away from British shores following a court ruling this week. According to a judgement by the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal, the level of violence faced by civilians in Afghanistan is not sufficient to grant Afghans humanitarian protection in the UK.
Press Release
15 Oct 09 - Refugee Action condemns forced removals to Baghdad
Forty Iraqis were forcibly deported to Baghdad this morning despite Foreign Office warnings about the 'highly dangerous' situation.
Press Release
05 Oct 09 - Celebrities condemn asylum support cuts
ACTORS, writers and journalists have expressed their anger at plans to cut the support of vulnerable asylum seekers and their children.
Press Release
24 Sept 09 - French government must take responsibility for Calais migrants, says Refugee Action
REFUGEE Action has this week urged the French government to take responsibility for the migrants in Calais.
Press Release
27 Aug 09 - Government urged to improve decision-making as one in four refused asylum applications overturned on appeal
REFUGEE Action today urged the Home Office to improve its asylum decision-making process as it was revealed that one in four refused asylum applications are overturned on appeal.
Press Release
27 Aug 09 - 'Shine in the house': Young refugees join groundbreaking debate on talent in the House of Lords
YOUNG refugees from Liverpool are joining 200 other young people from across the country in a unique debate in the House of Lords chaired by Speaker Baroness Hayman.
Press Release
24 Jun 09 - Refugee Action response to Kent scheme report
Sandy Buchan, Chief Executive of Refugee Action, made this statement in response news reports on a Kent scheme run by Migrant Helpline that aimed to reduce the numbers of children locked up in detention centres.
Press Release
18 Jun 09 - Refugee Week at BFI Southbank
RefugeeYouth, Nueva Generacion and Refugee Action bring a collection of films about exile to BFI Southbank on 16 - 22 June.
Press Release
11 Jun 09 - Refugee footballers kick off international tournament in Leicester
Refugee footballers from across the world, including former professionals, will kick off Leicester's International Football Tournament on Saturday June 20th.
Press Release
09 Jun 09 - LUSH lends its support to National Refugee Week 2009
SHOPPERS at cosmetics store LUSH will be passing their messages of support onto people seeing asylum and refugees as the high street chain marks national Refugee Week 2009.
Press Release
08 Jun 09 - ward-winning film at the Arnolfini for Refugee Week
Award-winning film at the Arnolfini for Refugee Week
Press Release
02 Jun 09 - Celebrities join 'Simple Acts' Campaign
to welcome refugees
LEARNING a few words in another language, cooking a dish from a foreign land and joining a campaign for refugee rights are just some of the Simple Acts carried out by celebrities like Michael Palin and Juliet Stevenson in support of Refugee Week 2009.
Press Release
20 May 09 - Asylum statistics released
Sandy Buchan, Chief Executive of Refugee Action, made this statement in response to the publication of the asylum statistics Quarter 1 2009
Press Release
22 Apr 09 - Statement from Sandy Buchan, CEO, Refugee Action in response to the budget
We are pleased to see the chancellor promising to invest in the futures of young people so that Britain can avoid creating a 'lost generation'
View press releases from previous years in the news archives
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