IlonaM

Thank you to everyone that came to our Q&A Session - Brexit: What's next for EU nationals living in the EU? This was the first of a new series of Migration Pulse events organised by Migrants' Rights Network. For those of you that were not able to attend, you can watch the video of the event at . Feel free to share it with anyone who might be interested. The Q&A was supported by the excellent contributions of our moderator journalist Ismail Einashe and the expert advice of: Colin Yeo, a leading immigration barrister with expertise in both asylum law and private immigration cases and the author of the Free Movement blog. Steve Peers, Professor of EU Law & Human Rights Law at the University of Essex Samia Badani, Board member at New Europeans and CAB consultant. Matthew Evans, Director at AIRE centre (Advice on Individual Rights in Europe) Migrants' Rights Network will follow the developments related to the Brexit negotiations closely and will organising a follow up Q&A this autumn. Do write us if you have a subject that you would like to discuss at the next Q&A.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/community-sponsorship-scheme-launched-for-refugees-in-the-uk Home Secretary and Archbishop of Canterbury launch new scheme to encourage community groups to sponsor a refugee family. Home Secretary shaking hands with the Archbishop of Canterbury The full community sponsorship scheme will enable community groups including charities, faith groups, churches and businesses to take on the role of supporting resettled refugees in the UK. An online service to help refugees in the UK has been developed to make it easier for any member of the public to support refugees in the UK and allow local authorities to focus support on the goods and services that refugees need. The sponsorship scheme and online service have been launched as part of the government?s commitment to resettle thousands of the most vulnerable refugees in the UK. The Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, said: The response of the British public to the refugee crisis has been one of overwhelming generosity and many have been moved to make kind offers of assistance. This is a ground-breaking new development for resettlement in the UK and I wholeheartedly encourage organisations that can help to offer their support. I hope that this new approach will help bring communities together and support these often traumatised and vulnerable families as they rebuild their lives, and contribute to and thrive in our country. Sponsoring organisations must have status as either a registered charity or community interest company, the consent of the local authority in which they wish to operate, and a comprehensive plan for resettlement in order to apply for the scheme. The Home Office will consider all offers of sponsorship and check that they have the agreement of the relevant local authority. All resettled refugees arriving in the UK, including those under full community sponsorship, will have been through a thorough security vetting process. Sponsors will provide housing for the refugee family, as well as helping them to integrate into life in the UK, access medical and social services, arranging English language tuition and supporting them towards employment and self-sufficiency. Lambeth Palace is the first community group to be approved to receive a refugee family and the government is working with a number of prospective sponsors and local authorities to enable their participation. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: The full community sponsorship scheme presents churches and other civil society groups with the opportunity to provide sanctuary to those fleeing war-torn places. Refugees, like all people, are treasured human beings, made in the image of God, who deserve safety, freedom and the opportunity to flourish. It is an enormous privilege to welcome a family to live in a cottage in the grounds of Lambeth Palace. I am hugely grateful to the Home Office and Lambeth Council for their tireless work and support in enabling this to happen. New online service for donations Members of the public are already volunteering to support resettled refugees in many different ways. The online service to help refugees in the UK is being launched today to help target that help where it is most needed. It is initially being piloted in 9 local authorities and has been designed to enable local authorities to specify the type of donations they most require to support refugees in their area. Users can select from a range of options for donations, including goods such as baby equipment and clothes, group and cultural outings and the use of vacant housing that must be self-contained and available for a period of at least 12 months. Offers of help can be made by members of the public across the country. In non-pilot areas these will be considered centrally by the Home Office before being passed on to local authorities. Further local authorities will be added to the online service in the coming months. Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said: This is an historic opportunity for individuals, charities, faith groups, churches and businesses to support refugee families directly. By bringing together the voluntary sector and local and central government, we can better support those fleeing conflict to fully integrate into life in the UK. The Syrian vulnerable persons resettlement scheme In September 2015 the government pledged to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees via the Syrian vulnerable persons resettlement (VPR) scheme. The latest published statistics show that more than 1,800 Syrians in need of protection have so far been provided with refuge in the UK. More than 160 local authorities have already signed up to accept refugees via the VPR scheme, on a voluntary basis. Often with the support of community groups and the voluntary sector, local authorities have played a vital role in helping those arriving here to feel welcome and adjust to a new life in the UK, and will continue to do so. In addition to the refugees arriving under the VPR scheme, the government has also committed to accepting up to 3,000 vulnerable children and family members directly from the Middle East and North Africa. The full community sponsorship scheme will apply to families from both resettlement routes. The details of the scheme have been developed in consultation with the National Refugee Welcome Board (convened by Citizens UK), Churches together: for refugees, local authorities and a range of other stakeholders including those who have come forward as prospective sponsors around the country. Share this page Published: 19 July 2016 From: Home Office Department for Communities and Local Government Department for International Development The Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP

http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/news/2016/factsheet-brexit-and-eu-migrants-what-does-it-mean?utm_source=Migrants+Rights+News&utm_campaign=6fd85ac37d-MRN_News_05-05-2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1084a7080c-6fd85ac37d-197822101 A new factsheet for EU nationals and their families has been published by JCWI. Entitled What does Brexit mean for EU migrants and their family members?, it covers questions such as: Can I continue to live and work in the UK now that the UK has voted to leave the EU? Will I lose my job now that the UK has voted to leave the EU? What will happen to my non-European family members? What can I do to prove that I have been living and working in the UK under EU law? I feel that I have been the victim of harassment or racist/xenophobic abuse. What can I do about this? I am a British national exercising treaty rights in another EU country with my non-EEA family. How will our position be affected? The position of EU migrants and their family members has not changed

Hi Rosie, Just saw this advertised on Charity Job: Freedom Project Assistant with Dog's Trust: https://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/freedom-project-assistant/457917?tsId=3&utm_source=jobalert&utm_medium=email&utm_content=topjob&utm_campaign=daily Salary Competitive Location South East Job Type Permanent Category Advice, Information , Project Management Sectors : Animal Job Reference : FPEA Job Description Dogs Trust is the largest dog welfare charity in the UK with a nationwide network of rehoming centres and charity shops. Last year Dogs Trust centres cared for over 17,000 dogs; we never put a healthy dog down. Are you interested in a varied and challenging role that will help Dogs Trust expand the Freedom Project into a new area? Dogs Trust Freedom Project is a pet fostering service for anyone fleeing domestic abuse. However, the majority of our referrals come from women fleeing domestic abuse via women-only services. The service places dogs into volunteer foster homes on a temporary basis until their owners are able to have them back. We also take referrals for cats and arrange care for them with Cats Protection. The Freedom Project has been running successfully in the Greater London area since June 2004 and in Yorkshire since July 2005 - to date we have helped over 1,400 pets. The Role: We are looking to recruit a motivated and capable Project Assistant to support our service expansion. The role involves assessing and placing dogs onto the project, providing advice and support to our volunteer foster carers and working with other stakeholders; such as pet owners, domestic violence support services and Cats Protection. Whilst there is some dog handling involved, the role includes extensive contact with people as well as daily admin and driving. Criteria: We are looking for someone with good all-round experience of assessing and handling dogs, giving advice on pet care and having worked in a public facing role. Ideally, a confident self-starter who has had some experience of working with volunteers and home visiting. A large part of this role will involve transporting dogs across Essex, Greater London and other Home Counties, so candidates should have a full, clean, manual UK driving licence and experience of driving as part of a previous role. A good working knowledge of Microsoft Office and an understanding of the problems experienced by families fleeing domestic violence with pets are also required. Experience of working in the animal welfare sector and of being able to provide basic dog training & behaviour advice would be highly desirable. Due to the nature of this role, this post is for women only and is exempt under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010. Further details on the job can be found below in the attached document. To Apply: To apply please send your CV and covering letter explaining your interest in and suitability for the role to Charlotte Warmington by clicking "Apply Now", or by post to Charlotte Warmington, HR Department, Dogs Trust, 17 Wakley Street, London, EC1V 7RQ Closing Date: Tuesday 19th July 2016 Interview Dates: Thurs 4th & Fri 5th Aug 2016

Just remembered that a colleague's husband used to train guide dogs for the blind. Might be worth looking at RNIB and similar service dog/animal charities etc.

Also have a look at the Mayhew - north London near Kensal Rise, but worth a look. I used to volunteer there years ago.

If you are an EU citizen you can seek advice from the AIRE Centre (http://www.airecentre.org/pages/get-advice.html). Alternatively the Migrants Resource Centre (for all kinds of advice - i.e. asylum, EU and third country) (http://www.migrantsresourcecentre.org.uk/immigration-advice/). The Migrants Right Network is a useful source of info and links to advice (http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/about/advice-services). Also Rights of Women (making an assumption here)(http://rightsofwomen.org.uk/get-advice/immigration-and-asylum-law/) offer a helpline.

Cambridge House Law Centre & Southwark Law Centre may still have the facility to offer pro bono advice to Southwark residents. Both are well-known for taking on Southwark Council, so worth contacting them (SLC needs a referral though - see above)

Also have a look at website for Advising London (formerly Blackfriars Settlement) - they are based at Elephant & Castle. Southwark Law Centre requires a referral. If a council tenant Southwark Council could refer, otherwise CAB or Southwark Disablement Association.

For female - Bianca (white in Italian), Blanche (French), Blanche-neige (Snow white in Fr), Neve (snow in Italian - but pronounced Neev, like the actress, in Anglosaxon countries. Or gender neutral: Snowy, Snowball (if fluffy?)

P13s going north on Underhill Road (towards Barry Road and Lordship Lane) often seem to miss specific times. Often have to wait for the next one.

Following on from Ratty and previous advice, get CAB Peckham or Southwark Disablement Association (tel: 020-7701-1391) to refer you to Southwark Law Centre (unfortunately need referral and cannot self-refer) or try Cambridge House Law Centre (tel: 0207 358 7025). The lawyers at both centres have been of tremendous help to clients in the past.

To ensure you're getting everything you are entitled to check out Turn2Us - a website with benefits calculator and advice as well as a grant finder for help from charitable trusts. You can tailor the search to your situation i.e. location, health, occupation etc. May help with getting back on your feet. https://www.turn2us.org.uk/

Hi Ian, In case you would like more sources of information and support, also have a look at Providence Row in East London [http://www.providencerow.org.uk/what-we-do] - they offer: A resource centre for people who are rough sleeping, with breakfast, showers and access to IT. Advice and support for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Recovery and progression for people whose mental health and substance misuse issues are affecting their ability to find and stay in accommodation. Trainee schemes to help people with complex needs to move into regular learning, volunteering or work.

Hi Ian, I am afraid I can't offer you accommodation, but have you approached charities like the Connection at St Martins in the Fields? They can offer advice, support and have a night shelter: https://www.connection-at-stmartins.org.uk/what-we-do/ Also contact a local law centre or Shelter advice line: 0808 800 4444 Shelter's helpline is open 8am ? 8pm on weekdays and 8am ? 5pm on weekends, 365 days a year. "Our housing experts will advise you, no matter what your housing situation. Calls are free from UK landlines and all major UK mobile operators."[http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/how_we_can_help/housing_advice_helpline]. I hope you find a solution soon. Best wishes, Ilona

Excellent news charlottep! And for those who are minded to take direct action, here are the contact details for the James Brokenshire, the Immigration Minister's office [taken from his website]: Immigration enquiries 020 7035 4848 Home Office, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF [email protected]

Penguin68, I have worked within the immigration and asylum system for all of my career. My experience of the decision-making process has been that is has been very Kafkaesque. Unfortunately, I am currently not in practice otherwise I would have offered to help Dulwich College pro bono. I have however given them contact details for people who may be able to help. As for the argument that the hands of the decision-makers are tied by strict rules and laws, there is a long-standing and lawful ability for the decision-maker to exercise his/her discretion outside the Immigration Rules in certain circumstances. There are also policies outside the Rules which have not been made law, although many are transferred into law in time. Bogus marriages are not an example of bad decision-making or corruption, they are unlawful and carried out usually by criminal gangs.

The British High Commission refused a visa on the basis that his brother is a rickshaw driver and, in their opinion, could not be relied upon to go home again after the treatment was completed. He has a family in Nigeria. This is a common response by the decision-makers and could be said to be a often-used key on their keyboard.

Yet another example of the Kafkaesque immigration system in this country. Sadly not the first time we have seen such a sickening decision. I hope the Minister comes to his senses in time to save Isaac's life. Dulwich College are sponsoring Isaac's brother to come to the UK and paying for his flight once a visa is granted. They have been doing a great deal to support their employee at this vital time. There was a very good segment on London Tonight (ITV) last night, followed by a piece about a charity set up to raise awareness of blood, organ, bone marrow and other forms of medical donation within the Black African, Black Caribbean or mixed race communities.

Thanks Lesley! I think the decorators left so much plaster dust in the bathroom that the drain has become blocked - I have a puddle which won't drain away. I have had one shower since I moved in and am trying to get someone out to look at it.

Hi Lesley, thanks for your advice. Can you use normal drain unblockers down the drain in a wet room, or does that add to the problem?

I have just moved to a new flat with a wet room. Does anyone have any advice please about maintaining a wet room i.e. keeping floor drainage unblocked, unblocking floor drain, cleaning wet rooms, how to avoid getting water all over the place? I have got some information from google searches, but would be very grateful for any tips. Many thanks.

Thanks spark67 and to everyone for your advice.

Thanks Growlybear.

No personal experience, but you could have a look at these advice sites: http://www.wildlifegardener.co.uk/foxesinthegarden.html http://www.animalaid.org.uk/images/pdf/factfiles/Fox.pdf Also a wildlife charity might have advice about encouraging the to move on, but it might be too early if cubs are still very young. You obviously have a very safe environment in your garden for mother fox to raise her family!