A season of hope for asylum seekers in Wales

Aim

Help us continue providing specialist legal advice and representation to asylum seekers, refugees, and vulnerable migrants in Wales.

UPDATE 16.12.2022 - You are very welcome to continue choosing a reward when donating, but please be aware that due to Royal Mail strikes we cannot guarantee that these will now arrive before Christmas. 

Being with Loved Ones

For many, holidays are a time to be with loved ones. However, thousands of people seeking asylum in the UK will be spending this Christmas separated from family and fearful of what the future holds. Initial journeys to the UK are difficult so many families take the hard decision to send one or two people ahead. Once granted refugee status that person can make an application for family reunion. Those who remain behind are often stranded in refugee camps or war zones.

In the UK family reunion applications are 'out of scope' of legal aid, which means refugees have to save up to pay privately (if they can) or remain separated from their loved ones for indefinite periods of time.

In Wales, Asylum Justice supports refugees to complete these applications for free. Where we succeed in these applications it means the family can finally settle, recover, and integrate together into their new community. 

In 2021 Asylum Justice was successful in 83% family reunion cases. 

Please donate to allow us to continue supporting families in their reunion applications, bringing them back together with loved ones.

 A Hard Year

We recognise that 2022 has been a hard year for a lot of people, with the rising cost of living causing significant worry to many families. If you are able to give, Asylum Justice is grateful for any donation no matter how small or large. A donation of any amount will help support asylum seekers, refugees and other vulnerable migrants access essential legal support.

2022 also brought the introduction of the Nationality and Borders Act, which imposes further restrictions on the right to asylum. Many of our clients are facing increasingly desperate situations as a result of this hostile environment, making our specialist legal advice more important than ever.

A Season of Hope

Many of our clients have had their initial asylum claim refused. Even when someone is refused asylum, months or even years later they may be granted protection. This isn’t a rare occurrence, across the UK in 2020 44% of asylum appeals were won after an initial refusal. 

In Asylum Justice our tiny team won 64% of the appeals we represented in 2020.

A recent report found that over a 40-day sample period, Asylum Justice represented nearly a quarter (24%) of all asylum appeals in the Newport hearing centre. 

Due to stringent tests, often asylum seekers cannot claim legal aid to pursue an appeal. Asylum Justice therefore represent their final hope in succeeding in claiming asylum.

Please consider donating to Asylum Justice this Christmas to ensure we can keep providing hope to asylum seekers and refugees in Wales.

A donation of any amount will be invaluable in supporting Asylum Justice’s work in providing essential and urgent legal advice and representation to asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants in Wales.

You can also set up a standing order to donate to Asylum Justice on a regular basis. If you would like to do so, please click here.

Card Designs

We have a limited number of greeting *cards available* if you want to make a donation on behalf of a loved one this Christmas. Or however else you choose to use it! 

*Please note we will only post cards within the UK*

If you’d like us to address this card to a loved one, please put their name and address when asked for a Delivery Address during payment.

‘Be The Change’ By Raman Mostafanajed. Designed whilst waiting for his asylum claim to be processed at Penally Military Barracks. Raman is an Iranian Kurd who speaks 5 languages and is keen to add Welsh to the list!

A Symbolic Sunset’ By Osam Ghaleb. Turned upside down, this symbolises Osam’s journey from the hell of Yemen, across the desert of Jordan, through the mountains of Turkey and into Europe beyond. We now have the opportunity to benefit from Osam’s nursing skills in Wales.

‘If I Could Melt all the Weapons I’d make Musical Instruments to Make People Happy!’ By Xabat Ka A multi talented Iranian Kurd who has now been given refugee status.

"The kinda Climate Change we want to see" - Anna Waters.  When the UK Government decided to send asylum seekers to Penally Military Barracks in Penally - a decision that has rightly now been reversed - Anna worked with the people sent there on a fantastic arts project. This is one of her own designs she has generously donated to help with our Christmas Fundraiser. 

Poster Designs

“It takes guts to swim against the tide” – Anna Waters 

"In Remembrance" – Xabat Xa 

"A New Home" – Osam Ghaleb

This project successfully funded on 22nd December 2022