Wishing you and your loved ones a peaceful Christmas and New Year

update your preferences unsubscribe Update and appeal Providing essential humanitarian relief to help refugees rebuild their lives Donate Dear friend, As we prepare for the winter break, our thoughts remain with the new friends we made during the year, those who fled their home countries to find safety somewhere in this world. I think of the tense messages shared with Vlad, Denis, Nataliya, Anastasia, Halina, and the youngest, Arina, who were trying to leave increasingly dangerous war zones in Ukraine. The bonds of humanity formed under such intense pressure remain. I want to extend sincere thanks to those who risked their lives to help bring people out. It's not easy to be away from home. Our Emergency Relief Fund and the Room for Refugee Programme have brought people out of war and into safety in someone's home. This work will continue in 2023 - with your help. So far, we have provided shelter to over 405 Ukrainian families and children and sheltered over 4,000 refugees since Room for Refugees began. In 2023, as well as bringing people to safety, we are working with the Scottish Government to provide hosting opportunities to Ukrainians in Scotland. To offer shelter in your home or property, visit www.roomforrefugees.com. Sadly, we cannot provide similar sanctuary to black and brown refugees fleeing wars and persecution in Iran, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and elsewhere. They have no safe route here - unlike the Ukrainians. The UK Government has effectively blocked off safe routes to them and turbo-charged human smuggling networks. Of course, this approach is nothing short of open racism. Yet the global refugee crisis is set to grow by millions in 2023. It's a universal truth that when you block safe routes, people smugglers step into the void. We need safe routes now. Thanks to our supporters, our annual winter surgery is successfully delivering direct humanitarian support to hundreds of refugee men, women and children who have fled war and persecution, including those from Iran, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, as well as Ukraine - despite the freezing weather, postal and rail strikes. We provided vouchers to buy essential food items, warm clothes, and small crisis payments for phone top-ups and bus travel. We also offered essential digital tech to help people stay connected. People are incredibly grateful for the support. We delivered support to 328 adults and 202 dependent children in Aberdeen, Perth, Falkirk, Edinburgh and Glasgow. We also provided support in London and Brighton via our referral partners: Helen Bamber Foundation, Hestia, Hope For The Young, Housing Justice Hosting Project, Jesuit Refugee Service UK, Praxis Community Projects, Refugee Action, South London Refugee Association, The Hummingbird Refugee Project, The Manna Society, The Passage and Young Roots. We also support a small number of refugees transferred from Manston Asylum Centre. In 2023, Positive Action in Housing intends to stay true to its mission - to help refugees and asylum seekers rebuild their lives after a crisis. However, the ongoing cost of living situation is having an adverse impact as more people reduce charitable donations. We know too well that times are tough for everyone, and we appreciate your contribution. Regular donations significantly help us to plan life-saving interventions. To make a regular or one-off donation, see below. If your group or community would like Positive Action in housing to give a presentation about our various projects, drop us a line here. Thank you, as ever for your ongoing support, we are anxious but ready for what 2023 brings, Best wishes and kind regards, Robina Qureshi Director Read more about our Winter Appeal here. See our Latest annual review and check us out in the Guardian. How to give Donate securely via CAF, JustGiving or Paypal We can invoice you for your chosen amount. Just email home@positiveactionh.org Send cheque payable to Positive Action in Housing (Winter Appeal) and post to: Positive Action in Housing Ltd ‪98 West George Street, Glasgow G2 1PJ Bank transfers – email home@positiveactionh.org (Remember to fill in the gift aid form to add 25% to your donation at no extra cost). For other ways to give, visit www.positiveactionh.org/donate Donate Why we need your help now The asylum system is causing misery. Many would-be refugees are instead being "fast-tracked into poverty - forbidden to work and forced to live on as little as £1.17 a day. Asylum seekers receive less than £6 a day for all their basic needs. Rising food and energy prices have made life more difficult. Those in hotels receive just £1.17 a day. All are forbidden to work. Instead of being helped to rebuild their lives and work or study, they are fast-tracked into poverty. Their skills and qualifications are overlooked. Their legal status means they are stuck in chaotic Home Office queues for years, waiting for their asylum claim to be appropriately considered. Thousands of able, skilled refugees are banned from contributing to the workforce. People must depend on the Home Office and its contractors for housing and support. Our Room for Refugees Programme is under increased pressure to assist Ukrainian war refugees and find safe, registered hosts - especially the elderly - who are now leaving their homes in Ukraine. So far, we have found shelter for over 400 households. The controversial "Rwanda policy" has made people more fearful of the Home Office and its accommodation contractors, for fear it affects their asylum claim. The bureaucratic indifference, delays and unsuitable accommodation have left many with deteriorating mental and physical health. The backlog of people waiting for a decision in the UK has reached over 122K, with hundreds waiting over five years. Even those who have "papers" are often left without support. They depend on humanitarian relief while our caseworkers work to help people rebuild their lives throughout the year. Donate About the Lifeline Service In 2021/22, our Lifeline Service supported 1,737 destitute refugees and asylum seekers needing advice, shelter, and crisis support at crucial stages in the asylum process. Our Room for refugees Programme provided shelter through volunteer hosts for over 4,000 refugees from Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen. Our Ukraine Programme has so far sheltered over 400 Ukrainian refugees. We distributed almost £100K from our Emergency Relief Fund – a genuine lifeline. These life-saving payments are primarily used for food, essential clothing, hygiene products, baby items, or travel required to access doctors, solicitors, or Home Office appointments. This year's winter appeal has so far benefited 530 beneficiaries (328 adults and 202 children) from 48 countries, including Iran, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Palestine, and Somalia. The annual appeal is supported by our supporters, individuals, social housing providers, trade unions, the EIS and its branches, the Quakers, the Iona Community and companies. This vital appeal directly helps refugees and asylum-seeking families get a little reprieve during this freezing weather when many services will shut down and strikes are expected. Copyright (C) 2022 Positive Action in Housing. All rights reserved. Connected to our work Our mailing address is: Positive Action in Housing 98 W George Street Glasgow, G2 1PJ United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe