St Clare of Assisi Parish » Justice and Peace

Jean Michel

Brian Dowd — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 10:57:34 +0000

Thank you to everyone who supported the recent petition on behalf on Jean Michel. He has now been released from detention and is currently on bail while his Judicial Review application is considered.

Thank you from Jean Michel to everyone who has supported him.

The amount of community support he received has been overwhelming.

Can you help those in greatest need?

Brian Dowd — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:38:07 +0000

Our government has introduced a new way of financing Asylum Seekers. This is in the form of a debit card called Azure. This card does not provide for everyday essentials where cash is needed (eg. bus fares) and can only be used in a limited number of places (eg. not in charity or corner shops).

Many St.Clare’s parishioners used to give support by buying gift cards, but gift cards are rarely given out now.

We are asking if any person could help by meeting an Asylum Seeker at Sainsbury, Asda, Tesco or Morrison, at their own convenience, once a week or perhaps fortnightly to shop.

The Asylum Seeker would pay for the shopping with their Azure card and then the shopping partner would give them the cash spent.

This practice is completely legal.

It has been in operation for several months and is readily accepted by the shops in the scheme.
If you feel you could do this but are a little unsure, please contact Gerry Butterfield 593698 or Barbara Morris 277358 and they could accompany you and introduce you to your shopping partner.

Jean Michel

Brian Dowd — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:36:13 +0000

Thank you to everyone who supported last weekend’s petition on behalf on Jean Michel. Over 200 signatures were collected at our Masses last weekend and at the Holy Name (where Canon John also celebrated Mass).

The removal is on hold and Jean Michel is no longer in solitary confinement but the UK Border Agency still wish to remove him; an injunction is pending to stop the threatened removal.

To give Jean Michel a more secure future we need to show this is an issue which affects the wider community.

Those who know Jean Michel will know that he has done everything he is ever asked for our community – we need to support him.

Is anyone willing to help? If so please let Cath Ramos know (or anyone working in our parish for Justice and Peace).

CAFOD Pakistan appeal

Brian Dowd — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:04:52 +0000

Many thanks for your very generous support for the CAFOD Pakistan Appeal. £1426.72 was raised.

For more details of the Appeal please see www.cafod.org.uk

Anselme Noumbiwa

Brian Dowd — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:02:47 +0000

Anselme, who is known to many in this parish, was forcibly removed to Cameroon some months ago. Since then the has lived in hiding, in fear for his life, having refused to become paramount chief of his tribe for religious reasons.

This week news came that Anselme has managed to get out of Cameroon.

Thanks be to God.

Can you help?

Brian Dowd — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:06:40 +0000

The food given by St Clare’s for people seeking sanctuary in this country is very much needed, so lets keep up the good work.

However toiletries especially shampoo are also desperately needed.

So if you can help with these please leave them in the box in the porch.

Thanks.

Anselme Noumbiwa

Brian Dowd — Sat, 01 May 2010 12:50:18 +0000

Prayers are urgently asked for Anselme who was deported on Wednesday to a very uncertain fate in the Cameroon.

Many of us will remember hearing Anselme speak here at St Clare’s.

Anselme will have arrived in Cameroon in fear for his life and without any means of support. He wasn’t even allowed to charge his mobile phone before deportation.

If anyone would like to make a donation, no matter how small, to help Anselme at this dreadful time please see Barbara, Gerry or Brian.

Helping those in great need

Brian Dowd — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 09:49:46 +0000

The refugees have been put onto a new system to sustain them.

They have been given a card called an Azure card, which allows them to buy food in some shops. They are still not given any cash at all, so they cannot buy at cheaper outlets. They have no money for bus fares, phone calls etc. We are asking them to exchange some of the £35 Azure card for gift cards in Asda, Tesco or Sainsbury and to bring these to the drop-in at the Avenue Methodist Church on a Wednesday. These will be usually £5 or £10 cards.

If you feel you would like to help to make their lives better, please buy these cards at their face value from Gerry Butterfield or Barbara Morris, who go each week to give money in exchange for a gift card. We will try to get you the card you would like. Just order it.

Many thanks to all who have supported us in this project to help the destitute.

Helping those in great need

Brian Dowd — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:53:38 +0000

The refugees have been put onto a new system to sustain them.

We are asking them to exchange some of the £35 Azure card for gift cards in Asda, Tesco or Sainsbury and to bring these to the drop-in at the Avenue Methodist Church on a Wednesday. These will be usually £5 or £10 cards.

Many thanks to all who have supported us in this project to help the destitute.

Thank you, St Clare’s School!

Brian Dowd — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:38:46 +0000

The foods brought in for the Harvest Celebration in St Clare’s School have been very kindly donated to the Mary Thompson Fund, which supports refugees and asylum seekers in the Tees Valley many of whom receive no other support.

Many, many thanks to Mrs Fall, and all the staff, governors, parents and children for their generous kindness and compassion.