The Croydon Central Deanery Leadership Team (DLT) is working to help Croydon Refugee Day Centre in its work with asylum seekers in Croydon. Currently, there are at least 4 hotels in Croydon Deaneries housing asylum seekers, as well as several ‘aparthotels’ where people are able to cook for themselves. Facilities vary from site to site, but they are very basic indeed.
One hotel’s management has commented that the asylum seekers are feeling ‘forgotten’ and asked, through the CRDC, if the local churches could assist with a Christmas Event. At the time of asking, there were over 500 people in the hotel, of which about 80 were young people/toddlers/babies.
The DLT is asking each of our churches to collect small chocolate/sweet gifts for asylum seekers in this hotel. Our intention would be to distribute these at a Carol Singing session at the hotel – date yet to be advised, but hopefully during the second week of December. We are also working with Croydon North Deanery and hoping that their churches will be able to participate and bring a little Christmas love to those in need.
All gifts need to be wrapped and have a Christmas card/message attached please. Any gifts specifically for children/young people should be provided in a bag marked ‘Suitable for children’ please.
At the end of November, the DLT will issue details of where the gifts should be delivered and full details of the carol singing. Anyone wishing to join in with carol singing will be most welcome – you do not have to be a member of a choir and the more the merrier!
Details of the carol singing will be announced as soon as possible.
This event is about showing and demonstrating the love of Christ to those who are strangers in our community and land. We sincerely hope that your church will feel able to support this initiative in some way and it would be helpful to know if you feel able to donate gifts as a church as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Refugees at Christmas
