The Ely Refugee Resettlement Campaign (ERRC) is asking people in Ely and surrounding villages to pledge what they can to support the resettlement of refugees in our area. We need pledges from the community so that we can show the Council that we are behind them. Budget cuts have hit the council hard and by pledging our help residents in Ely and the surrounding villages can support the council and enable the city to make this commitment.
Everyone who wants to help can pledge their support using this form
How many refugees are we talking about?
Ely hasn’t yet committed to housing any refugees, but with the support of the local community ERRC believes that East Cambridgeshire District Council will agree to take in at least 50 refugees following the example of Cambridge and many other cities in the UK.
What can I pledge?
There’s a host of practical ways you can help. Here are some ideas:
- Accommodation: A flat or house to rent (paid at local authority rates), or space in your home. Meeting rooms and halls.
- Goods: Groceries, furniture, household and electrical goods, clothing, toys, baby/toddler equipment, stationery, a haircut.
- Transport: Van or car use, bicycles/bicycle maintenance, help with removals.
- Skills: English Language tuition, Arabic translation/interpretation, trade skills.
- Personal support: Advocacy and assistance, e.g. applying for schools, registering at a surgery. Childcare, child fostering (through Cambridge Children’s Services), friendship.
- Money: We will ensure any funds donated will reach the appropriate service or organisation.
Take a look at local residents’ photo pledges for inspiration!
What happens next?
We are building a database of people and their pledges. We can then plan a coordinated resettlement programme and reassure the council that there is ample grass-roots commitment to helping refugees in practical ways.
Your personal information will be kept confidential
Of course things change, so if you find that later down the line you cannot deliver on the pledge, that’s OK.
After you’ve pledged…
Once you’ve registered your pledge, why not tweet it?
If you can take a pic and tweet it, that’s even better! Send us your pics at
info@elyrrc.co.uk
And join our Facebook group here for regular updates.