City of Migrants – fundraiser for Haringey Migrant Support Centre, Fri 21 Sep

Posted: September 19, 2012

Haringey Migrant Support Group is hosting a night of music and theatre to raise funds for a much needed Migrant Support Centre in the borough from 8pm at St John Vianney Church Hall, 86 West Green Road, N15 3QL

The Haringey Migrant Centre will provide a weekly drop-in service for migrants. The centre will offer advice on immigration, housing, and will signpost towards local services. The group hopes to create a welcoming and safe space, helping, to reduce social isolation amongst migrants living in Haringey.

The Haringey Migrant Support Group was formed following concerns from local community groups about the lack of immigration advice and migrant-specific services provided in the borough. Cuts to legal aid and other statutory bodies have meant that it is increasingly difficult for migrants to access basic services. This makes it virtually impossible for people to access good quality immigration advice.  Immigration rules in the U.K. are strict with time limits on many applications. This leaves people vulnerable to extortionate fees for poor quality advice putting their applications in jeopardy.

For many this means a life of destitution. Many of London’s existing centres for destitute migrants are struggling to meet the demand for their services. Those that relied heavily on government funding are finding it impossible to keep going now that their budgets have been slashed.

Lauren Cape-Davenhill, who chairs the Haringey Migrant Support Group, said “Like most European capital cities London is a city of migrants. These are people who start at the bottom and work hard to make a decent life for their families.”

Many migrants arrive to the U.K. with nothing, little knowledge of the culture and find it difficult to find their way around. Ms Cape-Davenhill explained that “The centre aims to help those who are struggling. We will give whatever assistance we can regardless of their immigration status.  We will provide advice, winter clothes, and a nourishing meal. We want to create social space in the Haringey Borough to reach out to migrants who feel isolated.”

Migrants travel across London to find advice and services. The Hackney Migrant Centre has reported a massive increase of people looking for assistance with 20 per cent coming from this borough. The Haringey Migrant Support Centre will open during the first week in October.

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Haringey Migrant Support Centre (HMSC) is now a registered limited company and are in the process of becoming a charity. The fundraising team have been very busy making applications for grants and secured their first grant last month, and have been exploring grant opportunities with trade unions.  If you belong to a trade union please contact your branch manager and ask about potential grants and email your responses to this address.

Open meeting
There will be an open meeting on Friday 21 September 7-8pm at:
St John Vianney Church Hall
86 West Green Road
N15 3QL

This will be a chance to meet each other again, learn more about HMSC and share ideas and next steps.

After the meeting…

Save the date
You are all invited to the HMSC’s first fundraising event ‘City Migrants’ on Friday 21 September, 8pm at:

St John Vianney Church Hall
86 West Green Road
N15 3QL

An evening filled with music and some words from asylum seekers and migrants

Suggested donation of £5 on entry includes food (all money to go towards running costs for the new centre)

Tickets will be available on the door

Email: haringeymigrantdropin@nullgmail.com

Category: Uncategorised
Tags: race and immigration