To: Amber Rudd, MP Hastings & Rye

Hastings & Rye Support Refugee Children

Amber Rudd has the power to grant child refugees safe passage to the UK. There are nearly 400 children in the Calais Jungle who have been identified as eligible to have asylum in the UK. As Amber Rudd's constituents, we call on her to do whatever is in her power to honour the legal ruling and ensure their safe passage immediately.

Why is this important?

Unaccompanied children in the Calais Jungle are suffering appalling conditions. Many are being abused and have mental health problems. Many have been injured and some killed trying to reach the UK.

Their suffering is needless - they have the legal right to be in the UK.

The Home Office has the details of nearly 400 young people and children with legal entitlement to come to the UK. They are therefore now our responsibility. Refusing to welcome them is criminal negligence.

The Calais Jungle is due to be demolished by October 31. The children must be brought to safety before then.

As Hastings and Rye residents, with a proud tradition of helping those in need, we call on Amber Rudd MP to do whatever she can to bring those children to safety immediately.

How it will be delivered

This petition will be accompanied by an open letter to Amber Rudd. We will deliver both petition and letter in person and request a meeting with Amber Rudd so that she is fully aware of her constituents' concerns.

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

Links

Campaign Facebook Page

Updates

2016-10-17 16:51:57 +0100

For those wanting to make donations for Calais, Hastings Supports Refugees will be holding a donation drop-off this Saturday 22 October in near Debenhams in Hastings Town Centre, 11am - 2pm. We'll also be collecting for the local food bank. https://www.facebook.com/events/1273998905955558/

For Calais, we need the following:
Tinned tomatoes
Tinned chick peas
Tinned kidney beans
Tinned tuna
UHT milk

The Food Bank lists these urgenty needed items:
Tinned fruit
UHT milk (1 litre)
Fruit Juice
Tinned Vegetables
Sugar
Pasta Sauce
Tinned Sponge Puddings
Instant Mash Potato
Biscuits
Dog & Cat Food
Toiletries (Toilet Rolls, Shower Gel, Tooth paste, Tooth brushes etc)
Nappies

2016-10-17 16:41:14 +0100

The first 14 children have arrived in the UK from the Calais Jungle. This is great news, especially hearing of their joy at being reunited with their families. But there are still hundreds more children in Calais with the right to be here. They remain at risk, and the Home Office must act immediately on their cases. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37674875

2016-10-14 08:43:27 +0100

Update from national charity Help Refugees: demolition of the Jungle is delayed because there is not enough provision for unaccompanied children currently living in the camp. As Help Refugees point out, we must use this time to keep the pressure on the UK Home Office to provide for the children, as they have promised to do.

https://www.facebook.com/HelpRefugeesUK/photos/a.123267671367248.1073741830.111893659171316/319184228442257/?type=3&theater

2016-10-12 20:59:31 +0100

Massive thank you to everyone who supported our open letter and petition to Amber Rudd, MP. We handed them in to her office today. Celebrities including Mark Benton, Liane Carroll, Steve Furst and David Quantick signed as well as local councillors and community groups. There were over 600 signatures for the petition.

Now we need to make sure she cannot ignore it. So please share the text of the letter, in this link, wherever you can. And you can use the hashtag #dubsnow

https://www.facebook.com/hastingssupportsrefugees/posts/1180662721956346?hc_location=ufi

2016-10-08 19:47:21 +0100

Charity brings legal charges against Amber Rudd over delay on Calais child refugees:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/08/charity-takes-legal-action-against-home-office-over-child-refugees

2016-10-05 19:43:10 +0100

100 signatures reached

2016-10-05 16:58:05 +0100

There is strong evidence that demolishing the Calais Jungle will only make things far worse and that action needs to be taken now. Not demolishing the camp would be a start - but even better would be getting people out of there into a safer situation suitable for their specific needs. That's why we're asking people to sign our petition You can read more about it in the statement attached here (pics 1-3).

https://www.facebook.com/regina.rachengold/posts/10208705738934038

2016-10-05 14:09:42 +0100

50 signatures reached

2016-10-05 12:30:55 +0100

25 signatures reached

2016-10-05 10:40:27 +0100

10 signatures reached

2016-10-04 18:58:39 +0100

A summary of what is happening to the children in Calais and why they need help:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/01/child-refugees-despair-calais-camp-close