

Welcome to our Summer Newsletter
We hope you are enjoying some of this summer sunshine!
Whilst the people we work with face unprecedented challenges and the demands on services increase, we are full of hope and determination to develop and improve the support and opportunities we offer to people seeking sanctuary on Tyneside.
Late last year we launched a new strategy, which outlines our approach and priorities for delivering this work in order to bring about positive change to the lives of people seeking asylum here in the North East.
We have developed several new projects and are developing existing ones to tackle the challenges ahead.
Many of you will be aware that the cruel new Nationality and Borders Act is now law. Whilst we will continue to oppose this, and please read more of this below, we will also continue to develop and adapt our projects to best meet the needs of the people we support in an increasingly hostile environment.
This includes the development of a new community campaigns group which has become a platform for the people we work with to have their voices heard amongst communities and local leaders, an awareness raising project that is reaching out to school children to promote understanding and compassion for people seeking sanctuary, how a local partnership is bringing more opportunities to the people we work with, and how our casework team has grown and is working in different ways. And we now have a series of colourful murals that have cheered up our outdoor spaces!
We have also set up anadvisory panel at WERS. The group is made up of people with lived experience of the asylum system. They have been part of making some initial changes at WERS over the past few months and they will continue to shape how we work
We still deliver our core support services, and these range from providing essential financial and material support, and supporting people to understand their rights, to facilitating connections in communities, whilst we also undertake the vital work raising awareness and campaigning to promote understanding and compassion for people seeking sanctuary on Tyneside, as this government continues to do the opposite.

Call for toiletries and plastic bags As part of our drop-ins, we provide people with toiletries and are always in need of these! If you are able to provide any of the following we would be very grateful! - Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Shower gel
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes
- Mouthwash
- Deodorant
- Shaving gel
- Sanitary towels
- Hand soap
- Bar soap
If you have any plastic bags that you do not need, please keep us in mind as we always need bags for people to carry their toiletries. If you are able to donate any of the above, please come along to one of our drop-in sessions on a Monday or a Wednesday from 10am to 1pm and our volunteers will be there to happily accept them! Thank you for all your continued support. |
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