THE KINDERTRANSPORT LEGACY CAMPAIGN
2018 marks 80 years since British communities took in 10,000 unaccompanied child refugees fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe. Never has this history felt more relevant: half of the 1.2 million people in need of urgent resettlement worldwide are children, yet only 10% of the places needed are pledged. Since 2015, refugee children have continued to arrive in Europe in large numbers only to become stuck in makeshift camps, their lives on hold, or risk dangerous journeys where they’re subject to exploitation and abuse. 80 years on, refugee children still need safe passage.
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Sue teamed up with City of Sanctuary to help try pass through a petition that would enable 10 unaccompanied children into Sheffield for the next 10 years. Currently only 3 unaccompanied children come to Sheffield however, as it is the city of Sanctuary, they felt like Sheffield should aim to provide safety to more children.
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They successfully got signatures for the petition and Sue then presented this in front of the City Council alongside a speech. However, the petition was denied due to there not being enough money available for the funding that would be necessary to support the child refugees.
This petition took place to pay homage to the 80th anniversary of the Kindertransport and to try relight the city of Sheffield's need to provide safety and sanctuary to those in who need it most.
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After the petition was denied City of Sanctuary weren't sure what actions to take next in order to progress the agreement especially after the anniversary passed. We hope to encourage people to be more involved with the campaign in order to inspire people to get behind the campaign once more and try make a positive influence.
SUE PEARSONS SPEECH FOR THE CITY COUNCIL
''Thank you for allowing us to present our petition.
We are aware of the financial constraints the City Council is experiencing, but also of its long record of welcoming refugees and asylum seekers.
I was a refugee 80 years ago, one of nearly 10,000 children who were rescued from the Nazis. This was termed the Kinder-transport, and it took place over only 10 months. I was offered a home in Sheffield, and I have lived here ever since. I consider myself very fortunate to have experienced Sheffield’s warm welcome.
Sadly, the need for children to flee from serious danger has not diminished. They have had no choice but to leave their countries, homes, families and friends. Over 20,000 unaccompanied children arrived in Europe in 2017. Thousands are still living in unsafe camps, or are homeless and on the street. These children are facing another winter in appalling conditions.
A group in London called Safe Passage have started the ‘Our Turn’ campaign, aimed at resettling 10,000 unaccompanied children over 10 years, with full government funding. Their hope is that, by 15th November when a Kinder-transport commemoration event will be held, local councils will together have pledged homes for the first 1,000 children.
We are asking you today to actively support the campaign, thus joining about 20 other councils who have already agreed to do so.''
LORD ALF DUBS
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Alf Dubs arrived in Britain on a train from Prague in 1938 when he was just six years old. He was one of 10,000 Jewish and other children rescued by the Kindertransport in the two years before the outbreak of WWII. Now a member of the House of Lords and life-long advocate for refugees, Lord Alf Dubs is leading efforts to help a new generation of unaccompanied child refugees in Europe and on their arrival to the UK.
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