Just the fact that you are thinking about helping means the world to us, and we are grateful for the goodwill and messages of support. If you can do any one of the things listed below, it will help a great deal!
1. Welcome a refugee: The Forum has been running a mentoring scheme for eight years now. We need more people to spend time with refugees helping them to start a new life in London. If you have time and would like to share it with our members please email us mentoring@mrcf.org.uk. To find out more about our mentoring scheme please have a look at our website http://migrantsorganise.org/portfolio/mentoring
2. Join the movement: give your time and expertise as volunteer or a mentor. Fill in our online form or email us at info@mrcf.org.uk and we’ll help organise your goodwill, time and skills. We need campaigners, designers, comms people, researchers, and speakers of other languages; we need pro bono legal advisors as well as accommodation for many asylum seekers and refugees who are destitute, not allowed to work or go to school, and cannot find good legal advice. If you have the time, we’ll find something useful for you to do.
3. Petition: Ask your local council to pass a motion to welcome at least 50 refugees. 38 Degrees created a way to that. There are more than 280 local councils being petitioned at the moment and around 40 have already passed the motion to welcome between 50 and 100 refugees: https://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/refugee-crisis-email-your-local-council
4. Provide a home: If you have a property that you can rent to refugees, please register your interest via the Citizens UK campaign to find 5,000 landlords. More than 500 landlords have already registered, in the first few days of the campaign: http://www.citizensuk.org/help_find_homes_for_syrian_refugees
5. Humanitarian aid: You can join CalAid’s effort to provide support, food and shelter to people stuck in Calais. People’s response to this initiative is restoring our faith in humanity. Please check their website for dates, drop-off details, and an up-to-date list of what is needed (and what is not needed at this time): http://www.calaid.co.uk. On their Facebook page you might see someone wearing or using what you have donated! https://www.facebook.com/JoinCalAid?fref=ts
If you live in West London, you can drop off donations at The Forum (2 Thorpe Close, W10 5XL) Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m
6. Foster refugee child: If you are interested in fostering unaccompanied refugee children, please contact Home for Good and they will provide all the necessary information on what is the best way to do this: http://www.homeforgood.org.uk
7. Be a citizen: The need to protect and provide safety to people fleeing wars and persecution is not going to go away, but it has never been this tragic and on this scale. Please write to you your MP, to Theresa May, and to the Prime Minster and let them know how you feel about the way they have handled Britain’s welcome of refugees. Be polite, concise and clear in your demands: https://www.writetothem.com
8. Connect: Get on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and join the conversation, spreading the message of welcome. Tweet at politicians, media and others who can spread the word. Follow us @mrcf_london or https://www.facebook.com/LondonMRCF
9. Donate: If you are able to do so, please consider donating to the Forum’s hardship fund. Without this direct support, hundreds of vulnerable refugees would be feeling lonely and isolated as they have no cash to pay for travel. Please use our Charity Choice online donation link http://www.charitychoice.co.uk/the-forum or send cheques payable to the Migrant and Refugee Communities Forum, 2 Thorpe Close, W10 5XL
10. Stay informed: To find out more about what you can do have a look at this shared platform for civic welcoming action http://www.refugees-welcome.org.uk/campaigning-for-change
THANK YOU!
