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BEACON was set up out of a shared concern to address the practical and
spiritual needs of the many asylum seekers in the Bradford district. It
is an ecumenical response to fulfil the Biblical injunction to welcome
the stranger, but seeks to work with other faith groups and secular agencies
to offer care and support to asylum seekers.
BEACON seeks ways to provide practical support by working with other local
agencies such as the Red Cross and BIASAN and is not in competition with
them. Its task is to maximise support across the churches and harness
resources, human and financial, through this explicitly ecumenical Christian
project. It takes asylum issues to the heart of the worship and fellowship
life of the Bradford Met churches
As well as campaigning on asylum issues and awareness-raising primarily
within churches, BEACON has three projects:
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McKenzie
Friends are trained volunteers who provide moral support
and informed help for those, without access to legal representation,
appealing against asylum decisions at Phoenix House, the Asylum Hearings
Centre at Thornbury, or wishing to make a fresh claim.
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CHAT
(Care and
Hospitality at Thornbury) volunteers offer a warm welcome
and simple refreshments to asylum seekers waiting for their appeals
to start at Phoenix House.
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BEACON Hosting
Project
Offers short, medium and sometimes
longer-term accommodation, within the homesof volunteer hosts, to
asylum seekers who are destitute or who have critical housing needs |
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BEFRIENDING
Project
Matches volunteers with individual asylum seekers and refugees in
need of friendship and support |
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BEACON
Campaigning seeks to challenge negative and destructive attitudes
to asylum seekers within the media Government, not least in the Home
Office, and to campaign against unjust legislation |
For further information
please contact the BEACON Coordinator:
Lara O'Connor
BEACON
c/o Touchstone
32, Merton Rd
Bradford
BD7 1RE.
Tel 01274 727525
/ 721626 |
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