Supporting refugees

Published: 1 July, 2011

• IT was fantastic to see such a prominent article on Islington’s Refugee Week celebration (‘Detaining refugees is a waste of lives and talent’, June 24). It is important that, at this difficult time of cuts in funding for key services, that your paper is supporting community events such as these. 

The support and welfare needs of asylum-seekers and refugees won’t just go away because funding and services are cut, so we need to do all we can to support those being hit hardest.

Voluntary Action Islington has been an active supporter of Islington Refugee Forum, particularly through the Improving Reach programme set up to help develop this forum along with the BME Forum and Faiths Forum. Having worked with the forum closely in the past, I am proud to see it gain the attention it deserves, and hope this continues in the future.

DUNCAN McLAGGAN 
Senior projects officer, Voluntary Action Islington