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| A month of volunteering with asylum seekers, the National Trust and Fairtrade | A month of volunteering with asylum seekers, the National Trust and Fairtrade |
| (8 days later) | |
| I had a lovely week at the end of June renting a beach hut, or chalet as they're now called, in Scarborough; quite a lot of sun and lots of fun with my grandsons. But enough of self indulgence: it was soon down to work with a Fairtrade meeting, sorting out the craft fair we're holding in September in Malton and Norton. | I had a lovely week at the end of June renting a beach hut, or chalet as they're now called, in Scarborough; quite a lot of sun and lots of fun with my grandsons. But enough of self indulgence: it was soon down to work with a Fairtrade meeting, sorting out the craft fair we're holding in September in Malton and Norton. |
| The aim is to showcase both Fairtrade and locally made crafts, so you may imagine the agenda: publicity, refreshments and progress on our own website. I'll give out the link in the Northerner as soon as we have it up and running, but if you live locally and would like to help or exhibit, please get in touch via northerner@guardian.co.uk. | The aim is to showcase both Fairtrade and locally made crafts, so you may imagine the agenda: publicity, refreshments and progress on our own website. I'll give out the link in the Northerner as soon as we have it up and running, but if you live locally and would like to help or exhibit, please get in touch via northerner@guardian.co.uk. |
| Next came a Short Stop day, sorting out emergency accommodation with Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network (LASSN). For once there were no phone calls at all, so unusual that by lunchtime I actually rang my own mobile to check it was working. It was, so either there were no destitute asylum seekers in the whole of Leeds, or the ones there were did not know how to access help. I hope it was the former. | Next came a Short Stop day, sorting out emergency accommodation with Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network (LASSN). For once there were no phone calls at all, so unusual that by lunchtime I actually rang my own mobile to check it was working. It was, so either there were no destitute asylum seekers in the whole of Leeds, or the ones there were did not know how to access help. I hope it was the former. |
| My second Short Stop began in the same way but ended differently: no calls at all until after lunch, then three on top of each other, followed a little later by a fourth. That's quite a bunch to find hosts for, but there are generous people out there. | My second Short Stop began in the same way but ended differently: no calls at all until after lunch, then three on top of each other, followed a little later by a fourth. That's quite a bunch to find hosts for, but there are generous people out there. |
| The first three were all placed very quickly, no Ansafone messages needed at all as the potential hosts were all in; and what was really nice was that two of the guests had been with the same hosts the previous night. Both parties, in each case, were delighted. Then I could not believe my luck with the fourth: once again the previous night's host said that they would be delighted to have her again. | The first three were all placed very quickly, no Ansafone messages needed at all as the potential hosts were all in; and what was really nice was that two of the guests had been with the same hosts the previous night. Both parties, in each case, were delighted. Then I could not believe my luck with the fourth: once again the previous night's host said that they would be delighted to have her again. |
| A big thank you the referring agencies Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers, St George's Crypt and the Refugee Council and my good friends in LASSN who organise the scheme. I clocked off at the end of the afternoon and went off to the theatre in Scarborough a happy coordinator. | A big thank you the referring agencies Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers, St George's Crypt and the Refugee Council and my good friends in LASSN who organise the scheme. I clocked off at the end of the afternoon and went off to the theatre in Scarborough a happy coordinator. |
| Coasties next, after two weeks off, and we were working on the old alum works at Ravenscar with the National Trust. Misty at first followed by drizzle, but then the sun came out and in the old winding house where I was, so did the midges. Every year we scrape the weeds off the stone remains of the various buildings and every year they grow back. Although it is a back-breaking task it is also very satisfying, once again the structure of the old workings shows up and the many visitors can see more clearly how it all worked. The winding house was where the mechanism that hauled the barrels of urine from London up from the beach was housed, you can still see some of the metal poles and bolts that held it all together. | Coasties next, after two weeks off, and we were working on the old alum works at Ravenscar with the National Trust. Misty at first followed by drizzle, but then the sun came out and in the old winding house where I was, so did the midges. Every year we scrape the weeds off the stone remains of the various buildings and every year they grow back. Although it is a back-breaking task it is also very satisfying, once again the structure of the old workings shows up and the many visitors can see more clearly how it all worked. The winding house was where the mechanism that hauled the barrels of urine from London up from the beach was housed, you can still see some of the metal poles and bolts that held it all together. |
| The winding house finished, we all went to help rake up the cut grass from a large field above the alum works. We were using large wooden rakes and the scene, except for our clothes, could have been from a Bruegel painting. To complete the bucolic comparison we were racing against a storm brewing overhead; all finished, we piles into the minibus back to the road and our own cars. A few minutes later it was raining stair rods, but I am in the dry on my way home, another satisfactory task completed. | The winding house finished, we all went to help rake up the cut grass from a large field above the alum works. We were using large wooden rakes and the scene, except for our clothes, could have been from a Bruegel painting. To complete the bucolic comparison we were racing against a storm brewing overhead; all finished, we piles into the minibus back to the road and our own cars. A few minutes later it was raining stair rods, but I am in the dry on my way home, another satisfactory task completed. |
| Back in Leeds, I visited my asylum-seeking friend in her flat (a hard-to-let one owned by the council), and there was still no news about either her hopes of moving or her claim to stay. It all adds to her uncertainty. On top of that, the helpline to tell her how much is on her 'payment card' has been down. | Back in Leeds, I visited my asylum-seeking friend in her flat (a hard-to-let one owned by the council), and there was still no news about either her hopes of moving or her claim to stay. It all adds to her uncertainty. On top of that, the helpline to tell her how much is on her 'payment card' has been down. |
| This card, which can only be used in supermarkets, is how she gets her food, toiletries etc. The observant amongst you will realise that supermarkets are often more expensive than local shops and street markets, that they don't run buses, if you need to go further than you can walk, and that they don't always supply the specific and cheaper vegetables that you really would like to eat. The current government says it wants to preserve our high streets, so why just encourage the supermarkets? | This card, which can only be used in supermarkets, is how she gets her food, toiletries etc. The observant amongst you will realise that supermarkets are often more expensive than local shops and street markets, that they don't run buses, if you need to go further than you can walk, and that they don't always supply the specific and cheaper vegetables that you really would like to eat. The current government says it wants to preserve our high streets, so why just encourage the supermarkets? |
| Many of us volunteers use the card for ourselves and then give the cash to our friends, yes it's against the rules, but... Anyway, I ring the helpline which is now back up again, so at least that is sorted out. My friend's college course has finished, all her assignments are in and have been accepted, and that's another hurdle overcome to give her the qualifications she hopes will get her a job in the caring field if she gets leave to remain. Even with the current levels of unemployment there are still vacancies in these areas that many people are not prepared to fill. Chatting together, we remember how when I first met her, I was one of the few friends she had. Now church and college have increased her group of friends enormously, as I hope would be the case in this friendly city for any other local young woman. And so, back in a circle to Fairtrade and a couple of days helping my husband at Fairer World, the wonderful food and craft Fairtrade shop in Gillygate, York. The owners were at a conference in Scarborough so we restocked the shelves, helped people fill boxes for stalls at their local summer fairs and churches, priced new goods, and of course sold as much as we could to customers. | Many of us volunteers use the card for ourselves and then give the cash to our friends, yes it's against the rules, but... Anyway, I ring the helpline which is now back up again, so at least that is sorted out. My friend's college course has finished, all her assignments are in and have been accepted, and that's another hurdle overcome to give her the qualifications she hopes will get her a job in the caring field if she gets leave to remain. Even with the current levels of unemployment there are still vacancies in these areas that many people are not prepared to fill. Chatting together, we remember how when I first met her, I was one of the few friends she had. Now church and college have increased her group of friends enormously, as I hope would be the case in this friendly city for any other local young woman. And so, back in a circle to Fairtrade and a couple of days helping my husband at Fairer World, the wonderful food and craft Fairtrade shop in Gillygate, York. The owners were at a conference in Scarborough so we restocked the shelves, helped people fill boxes for stalls at their local summer fairs and churches, priced new goods, and of course sold as much as we could to customers. |
| My husband is a regular volunteer and can use the card machine, but I stuck to the till. Most people who come in want to chat about the goods, especially if there are new lines, so we were very busy all day. A lovely shopper who belongs to the local Society of Friends told me that they don't need small bars of chocolate because as they are Quakers they only eat the bigger bars. A habit developed, maybe, in the great York heyday of the Quaker Rowntree firm and family. | My husband is a regular volunteer and can use the card machine, but I stuck to the till. Most people who come in want to chat about the goods, especially if there are new lines, so we were very busy all day. A lovely shopper who belongs to the local Society of Friends told me that they don't need small bars of chocolate because as they are Quakers they only eat the bigger bars. A habit developed, maybe, in the great York heyday of the Quaker Rowntree firm and family. |
| Janice is blogging monthly for the Northerner about her voluntary work in Lincoln Green, Leeds, and on the North York Moors. You can read more about her here; and see her previous posts by scrolling back on the Northerner Home Page here. | Janice is blogging monthly for the Northerner about her voluntary work in Lincoln Green, Leeds, and on the North York Moors. You can read more about her here; and see her previous posts by scrolling back on the Northerner Home Page here. |
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