Below is a copy of an open letter supporting our Mayor and Bristol City Council in their humanitarian commitment to take in Dubs Children. You can add your name to the letter by emailing us on [email protected]
We have been deeply shocked that the Government has reneged on its commitment to the Dubs Agreement in which it promised to take a quota of the 88,000 refugee children who are alone, unsupervised and have no means of survival in Europe. Although the Government did not specify a number, Lord Dubs and others estimated that the UK could take in 3,500 children. The Government has now said only 350 of these children will be given shelter in the UK. An amendment to the Government position, which would have in effect allowed the Dubs agreement to stand as envisaged, was lost by twenty votes in a Commons vote on 7th March.
It defies belief that a government can stand up and happily commit billions of pounds to weapons of destruction and yet not even agree to take in and shelter the most vulnerable human beings on our planet who have fled from war, terror and persecution and continue to live in despair of anyone caring about them.
Consequently, we welcome the humanitarian response of our Mayor Marvin Rees and Bristol City Council who have continued to say that they are willing to take their quota of children and are pressing for the Government to act. As a City of Sanctuary, we are proud to stand up alongside our councillors and mayor and urge the Government to change its mind and to provide welcome, safety and funding for the children.
Signed by:
Rev Richard McKay, Chair of Bristol City of Sanctuary and Chair of Borderlands Charity
Forward Maisokwadzo, Media & Communications Officer, City of Sanctuary & South West Coordinator, Bristol City of Sanctuary
Jo Benefield Bristol Defend the Asylum Seekers Campaign
Redland Quaker Meeting
Nigel Costley, Secretary, South West trades Union Congress
Beth Wilson, Director, Bristol Refugee Rights
Professor Tariq Modood, university of Bristol
Rachael Bee, Manager, Bristol Hospitality Network
Rob Wotherspoon, Branch secretary, Communications Workers’ Union Bristol & District
Mohammed Arif, Chair of Council of Bristol Mosques
Mike Jempson, Director, The MediaWise Trust
Andrew McCarthy, Volunteer Coordinator, Bristol Refugee Rights
Eustace Tameh and Margaret Ulloa on behalf of St Nicholas of Tolentino RC Church
Holly Rooke, Co-President, Student Action for Refugees at University of Bristol
Izzy Finlay, Co-President, Student Action for Refugees at University of Bristol
Alex Raikes, Director, Stand Against Racist Incidents
Nejat Hussein, Refugee Women of Bristol
Rissa Mohabir, Producer & Writer
Alison Allan, Chair, Greater Bristol Alliance
Lauren Wroe, Social Workers Without Borders
Andrew May, Volunteer, Borderlands Charity
Kitty Odell, Volunteer, Bristol Refugee Rights
Anna Wardell, Volunteer Administrator, Bristol City of Sanctuary
Patricia Thorpe
Mary Todd, Voice Project, Bristol Refugee Rights
Richard Annandale, Calais Refugee Solidarity Bristol
Steve Hull
Cllr Harriet Bradley, Brislington West
Sophy Gairdner
Imogen Mcintosh, Founder & Coordinator, Aid Box Convoy
Deasy Bamford, Creative Development, Tribe of Doris
Marian Connolly, Volunteer, Speedwell Refugee garden
Martin McCrea, formerly a child Clinical Psychologist
Netty Miles from Help Refugees
Joanne Baker, Child Victims of War
Ruth Soandro-Jones, Fundraising & Communications Manager, Bristol Refugee Rights
Annie Thomas
Martin McCrea, formerly a child Clinical Psychologist
Gaby Solly, Director, Street Alive
Eustace Tameh and Margaret Ulloa on behalf of St Nicholas of Tolentino RC Church
Judith Irene Brown
Jane Collins, Musician
DMAC UK (Dance Music Arts Collective)
Ric Brice
Claire Hancock, Owner of Claire Hancock rehabilitation, Occupational Therapist and Trustee of Cerebral Palsy Plus
Jude Meek, Social Worker
Ngaio Anyia, Boomtown Festival
David Abbot
Katie Wake, Co-Founder Supernatural Food
Judith Irene Brown
F.E Wells
Emma Veitch
Celina Norris
David Abbott
Helen Crocker
Lizzie White, Bristol West CLP / Momentum
Jacky Sloane
Marylin Johnstone
Natalie Smith
Elizabeth Igoe
Sophy Gardner, Signing In Supporting Group & BDASC
Ric Brice
Judy Bec
Anna de Serville
Liz Rogers
Richard Lawrence
Marina van Vessem
Sophia Dutton
Ann Brook
Pauline Marshall
Karen Bruni
Barbara Needham
Liz Crow
Tam Johnson
Sue Smailes
Alison Campbell
Sarah Heath
Christine Campbell
Zuzana Pohloudkova
Becky Thompson
Aislinn Corcoran-Anthony
Fran Wardell
Jo Bloxham, Thinking People
Ann Kennard, Chair of Bristol-Hannover Council
Tom Daly, VOICE Community Engagement Manager, Bristol Refugee Rights
Ursula Monn
Lucy Hamid
Linda Ewles
Susan Plaister
Marian Liebmann
Sally Osborne, Mental Health Nurse
Flo Lipin
Joy Lambshead
Lynn Linsdale, Psychotherapist TFSW
Rob Wood
Barbara Needham, BDASC
Isabella Harding
Helen Struthers
Eleni Christopoulou
Reuben Irving
Rea Christopoulou-Irving
Sue Ingham, Secretary, Diocese of Clifton Justice and Peace Commission
Emily Abbott
Beryl De Stone, Advocacy and Asylum Support volunteer at Bristol Refugee Rights
Teresa Thornhill
Lucy Gilbert
Anna-Clare Hillier
Lucy Anning
Chris Cooper
Damaris Le Grand, Volunteer, Bristol Refugee Rights
Katherine Oliver
Martin Wallis
Linda Gates
Andrew Coates
Sadie Pearce
David Jessep
Jill White
Carole Gyorffy
Bill Roberts
Ian Scott
Katia Hornchen
Rene Hornchen
Adam Nieman
Sami Chugg
Gary Davies
Sally Stone
Mal Sainsbury
Mike Gates
Mike Campbell
Stuart Greaves
Nigel Troop
Amirah Cole
Fauduma Mohammed
Halimo Mohamud Roble
Sainuga Hasan
Faisa Mohamud
Alice Cunningham
Nick Smith
Carol Billinghurst
Una Macnamor
Matt Pike
Issy Young
Morgan Hendy
Jenny Sarah Borderlands mentor
Hannah Martin, Bristol Amnesty International
Rob Porteous
Sue Black
Andy Black
Anna Rossett
Tish Calvert
Susana Askew
Paula Davis
Georgina Herford
Jennifer Morris
Jan Pike
Karen Goddard
Edwin Lawton
Steve Owen
Fenella Butler
Jenny Taylor
Peter Bedgie
Daniella Esbernsen
Chris Askew
Rosemary Collins
Melanie Macleintosh
Philippa Gordon
Anne J. Moyo
Goran Muhammad
Becky Thoburn
Peter Sottrel
Xawn Sottrel
Led Vitjoen
Eva Pekanrova
Daniel Tagg
Rosie Cole
Sarah Hande
Suesie Kogu
Carole Nomessin
Sarah Douglas
Philippa Walker
Angela Auset
Gordon Holmes
Ralph Openshaw
Mark Cheesman
J.D Reeves
C.J Watkins
T.H Jatifar
J. Egan
Marian Liebmann
Fran Wardell
Sue Marks
Hannah Machintosh
Jesse Tate
Azarea Roshkani
J.J Roshkani
Kalila Lewis
Anna Sherman
Dominique Toyre
Tom Watson
Caminita Nicols
A. Chambers
Bryony Holst
Brian Holst
Alex Melbourne
Adrienne Hayt
Sian Chung
Madge Dresser
Grant Ryland
Jon Rush
Hilary Moore
Amy Powell
Jake Plant
Suzan Haucetts
Linda Owen
Gerwyn Owen
Peace Handorsm
P. Mardy
Yvonne Wilkin
Dave C.
Helen March
Sandy Marwick
Hero Denman
Lynsey Ruth Mansfield
Taskem Kowser
Piers Sadler
Catherine Sadler
Vera Fernandes
If you would like to add your name to this letter then please email us on [email protected]
