PLEASE SUPPORT THE MDODI FAMILY
Alpha Mbodi and his family are from eastern Congo. He fled the Democratic Republic of Congo with his two sons in 2005, fearing the war there would claim the lives of his family. Unfortunately the family were unable to escape together and he was forced to leave his wife and young daughter behind. Alpha and his sons were accommodated in Sheffield by NASS shortly after their arrival in the UK.
The boys, who are now 15 and 13 years old, are settled at school where they progressing very well with their education. Alpha, who is a qualified language teacher himself and an active member of the Sheffield Community Church, is keen for them to complete their education in Sheffield to secure their future. Last year, Alpha was discovered working illegally in a cleaning job that he had taken to enable him support his family. As a result, he spent 5 months in Doncaster Prison during which time family friends looked after the two boys. Now reunited with his sons, he has learnt his application to stay in the UK has been turned down. He and his two boys are facing the prospect of deportation back to eastern Congo, which continues to be ravaged by fighting, civil unrest and insecurity.
Home Office reference number: M1265007
Please sign the on-line petition at:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/familymbodi/
Telephone Sheena on 077 9260 5138 or email memesheena@blueyonder.co.uk for more information or if you want to offer help with the campaign.
NRC WOMEN FRIENDLY SESSIONS MOVE
The NRC Advice Service's Women friendly sessions have moved time and location.
They will now be every Wednesday from 9.30 to 12 at the same location as our main drop-ins at Sheffield Advice Link at Castle Market.
The sessions are staffed by women, are now wheelchair and buggy accessible and children are welcome - we have some toys, now!
A flyer is available on our website at:
http://nrcentre.org.uk/downloads/advice/about-the-advice-service/Women%2...
THE SURVIVOR NEEDS YOU!
The Survivor Media Group (SMG) is non profit organisation which aims to fill the gap between mainstream coverage of migration and civil liberties, and the reality of the lives of people in Britain today.
It was conceived by Lay Naing, a Burmese dissident and refugee while he was detained by the Home Office in a facility in Margate in 2006, and was later ‘granted leave to remain' by Gordon Brown. The Survivor was originally written, published, and distributed by refugees and asylum seekers: the first newspaper of its kind in the UK.
In 2009 the Survivor will be relaunched as a monthly journal, and as Survivor Online.
SMG are currently seeking to build a network of partnerships with organisations in fields as diverse as refugee and migrant support, homelessness, anti-trafficking, trade unionism, civil liberties and human rights. They are also looking for occasional and regular contributors to both the website, and monthly journal. All relevant topics will be considered.
If you would like more information, then please contact Daniel Pye on +44 (0)7849584688 or email daniel.pye@hotmail.co.uk.
Or go to http://danielpye.com/2009/03/25/the-survivor-needs-you/#more-39
NOW THEN MAGAZINE
Now Then magazine has recently offered us a regular monthly column of City of Sanctuary news. Now Then is a not for profit publication dedicated to providing coverage of independent art, music, information and trade in Sheffield. It is a content led magazine with a limited amount of advertising space available each month, which they offer only to independent traders, community groups or charities. You can support the magazine by using it to advertise your vacancies or services.
Now Then has a 6,000-8,000 readership and receives between 200-400 hits a week on its blog spot. It is released on the public at over 130 different locations around Sheffield City. To download a range of NowThen editions visit: http://www.nowthensheffield.blogspot.com/
If you would like to advertise in Now Then contact James Lock:
James@nowthensheffield.com