YWB’s submission to the UN Special Rapporteur
Immigration detention is the theme of the first report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants. The upcoming thematic report on immigration detention will be presented at the 20th session of the Council, scheduled for June 2012.
Submissions from NGO’s are being sought which focus on the special needs and protection concerns of vulnerable groups of migrants.
Yarl’s Wood Befrienders’s submission can be viewed here
Gill Butler 1942 – 2012
Gill was one of the longest-standing members of the Befrienders and an inspirational trustee and Chair. She will be remembered for her tireless human-rights work and as an “adoptive mother” to many women and families who she visited over the years at Yarl’s Wood.
Gill’s legacy lies not only in the strength of the Befrienders, which grew and developed enormously during her years as Chair, but also in her work with Medical Justice, where she put her medical background to such practical use in defending the rights of vulnerable detainees. Many of those she has supported had undergone mental and physical torture in their home countries, as well as suffering here in the UK. Her warmth, compassion and humour, combined with a passionate drive to advocate for those she knew to be at risk, made her a source of strength and comfort to those she supported.
She not only visited detainees while they were at Yarl’s Wood, but also took several into her home after they were released, some for substantial lengths of time. She remained in close contact with many others and the number of former-detainees attending her funeral bore testimony to the fact that, to many, Gill will always be known as Mum.
For more tributes to Gill, please follow these links:
Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees
HMIP report published
Her Majesty’s Inspector of Prisons, Nick Hardwick, published his report on Yarl’s Wood yesterday. The report can be found at the Ministry of Justice website here.
YWB makes submission to the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights
According to the United Nations, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is “a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four years. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations.”
Yarl’s Wood Befrienders, along with other groups supporting immigration detainees, have sent a submission outlining some of their concerns. You can read the submission here: Universal Periodic Review – Yarls Wood Befrienders
Three Counties Radio: 10 years of Yarl’s Wood
On Friday 18th November, Three Counties Radio ran a feature on Yarl’s Wood, which has now been open for 10 years. You can listen to part of that feature here, including interviews with MP for North Bedfordshire, Alistair Burt, and our very own coordinator, Heather Jones. In his interview, Mr Burt gives a special mention to the work of the Befrienders.
YWB Christmas Party
Next Tuesday’s support meeting (Tues 6th December) will be our Befriender Christmas Party. Instead of the usual support meeting venue, we will be holding it in our office at 27b Tavistock Street and it will be from the earlier time of 7.00 p.m.
More details to follow.
Tim
Welcome to our new Befrienders
We have been pleased to welcome several new Befrienders over the last few months. Please say hello to them if you see them visiting at Yarl’s Wood. We now have well over forty Befrienders who visit on a regular basis, speaking more than 15 languages between them. If you know of anyone else who might like to start befriending at Yarl’s Wood, please put them in touch with us.
AVID Handbooks still available
We still have a large number of AVID volunteer handbooks available for Befrienders to collect. If you are unable to make it to the upcoming support meetings, please do drop in into the office or let us know when you will be visiting Yarl’s Wood so we can leave it for you at reception.
New Website Launched!
Welcome to the new-look website. We hope you find it useful and easy to use. Please do get in touch if you have any comments!
Natasha Walters to speak at AGM
Natasha Walters will be the speaker at our forthcoming AGM. Natasha, who is an author and campaigner, is the founder of group Women for Refugee Women.
The AGM is going to be held at Russel Park Baptist Church on Tuesday 10th May, starting at 7.30 p.m.
Members and non-members welcome.
Awarded to Yarl's Wood Befrienders in 2005