On Saturday 21^st June, we joined Celebrating Sanctuary in marking Refugee Week. Celebrating Sanctuary are an arts-based charity, that aim to profile the artistic work of refugees in Birmingham and affirm the offering of sanctuary as a human right. First, we joined a ‘March to the MAC (Midlands Arts Centre)’ from Moseley Village to the MAC. Then, we joined other local groups and artists at with our stall at the MAC. Our youngest members particularly enjoyed visiting all other stalls and wrote welcome postcards to newly arrived refugees.

This Refugee Week, we considered our position in the broader Midlands region, particularly regarding the Amnesty International U.K. Central England Network’s position as a partner in the ‘Keep Campsfield Closed’ coalition.

As a local group, we support both the Keep Campsfield Closed petition and contacting local MPS to urge for action on this issue. We also would draw attention to the Amnesty report ‘A Matter of Routine, the use of immigration detention in the UK’, and its recommendations that the use of detention and estate is significantly reduced and that in cases involving children, the Home Office fulfils its duties to their best interests as a primary consideration.

by Bella (co-secretary, B12, B13, B14)