Asylum-seekers based in Bristol who are left destitute by gaps in the asylum process will now be able to find alternative accommodation thanks two houses donated to Bristol Hospitality Network (BHN), and a network of local people offering a spare room.
Currently under the umbrella of Bristol Refugee Rights (BRR) – which runs a drop-in centre for asylum-seekers in Easton and presses for changes to the system that denies them their human rights – BHN is a working group looking into issues of housing for destitute asylum-seekers in Bristol.
“We support and recruit hosts for asylum seekers who attend BRR’s services at the Welcome Centre in Easton, and have become ineligible for support,” BHN said in a statement explaining the work of the group.
“Since being donated two houses, we are also in the process of setting these up to be able to house up to seven male destitute asylum seekers for short and long stays, and two wardens who will contribute to the running costs of the house.”
BHN is appealing for help in any of the following ways:
- If you are interested in offering temporary hospitality to a destitute asylum seeker in your own home, please contact the network for more information. We will arrange to meet you and discuss our ethos and the specifics of your situation before inviting you to host someone in your house.
- In our projected budget for the two new houses, there is currently a £160/month deficit in funding. If you would be interested in making a small regular donation, like £5/month, please get in touch for more information.
- We need several more trustees and a treasurer, preferably with experience in housing. If you are interest in a voluntary role of this sort, we would love to talk with you further.
- For the financial audit that has to be submitted to the Charities Commission annually, we will also need to work with a registered accountant.
Write to the group on:
Bristol Hospitality Network
c/o Bristol Refugee Rights
Assisi Centre
St Nicholas of Tolentino
Lawford’s Gate
Easton
BRISTOL
BS5 0RE
