Surrey & Sussex Catholics assist refugees

Arundel & Brighton Diocese based charity Voices In Exile has announced a Rent Deposit Loan Scheme with East Sussex Credit Union to help to support refugee families to find homes. Those who will be supported through the scheme will be those who have successfully claimed asylum within the UK, and are living within Sussex or Surrey the area covered by the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton.

They are able to launch this scheme thanks to the generous donation of £10,000.00 from a Catholic religious community, which will initially be able to potentially support seven Syrian families who are already living within the Diocese (21 people) into housing.

A member of the community said: "We were moved by the Pope taking people into the Vatican, and although we were not in a situation to house people directly, we were able to share a gift we had been given. This scheme has enabled us to meet the Pope's call to house refugees in an ongoing way". The additional £1810.64 required to support the families has been donated through Voices In Exile's general donations.

Prior to the scheme being set up, Voices In Exile, had already been supporting refugees informally into housing. In addition to their newly launched Rent Deposit Scheme they have already this year been able to house another two families of five, through landlords who were happy to receive Local Housing Allowance Rates. One local Catholic Parish in the Diocese has already given a loan of a rent and deposit to another four families within the community. The Priest says that: "It's our Christian duty to look after and care for people who have left so much behind and to help where we can."

Voices In Exile is contracted by Brighton & Hove City Council to provide casework and ongoing integration support to families arriving through the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Programme. So far we have received 14 people who have been housed in five properties. Recently another property has been offered through our appeals and we are hoping to receive another four adults in the near future. Four out of the five properties have been given through Catholic landlords.

This year 49 people have been directly housed through housing offered either directly to Voices In Exile or through the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation
Scheme. This does not include clients who have found their own property. The local Brighton & Hove Catholic Charity, Saint Vincent de Paul Society in all instances have helped to furnish the properties of those newly arrived.

This work is also being supported by the Anglican Sister Diocese of Chichester One of the landlords is a local Anglican Parish Council. One of the Parish Council members said: "The Syrian family who are now housed in our parsonage have been a pleasure to get to know and an asset to our Church community."

In the first six months of 2016 their free drop-in service for refugees has seen, 211 people for non-legal advice and support with a further 262 people seen for immigration legal advice.

The needs of refugee families is ongoing and the Voices In Exile continues to seek help and support from the local faith communities and beyond. For those interested in supporting the scheme then can email administrator@voicesinexile.org

For more information see: http://brightonvoicesinexile.co.uk/.