Ivorian cocoa farmer, Salimata, earns the equivalent of 75 pence a day. This is less than half what she and her family needs for a decent standard of life. Buying Fairtrade can provide a part of the answer for cocoa farmers like Salimata. But there is widespread agreement that industry and …
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UK Foreign Minister, Jeremy Hunt, tries to get Germany to reverse its decision to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia
The United Nations has stated that Yemen is on brink of “world’s worst famine in 100 years” if the Saudi-led backed war against Houthi forces is not stopped. The UN warned that at least 13 million lives are in jeopardy. The Saudi involvement in the aerial bombing campaign of civilian areas would not …
In defence of 0.7%
In response to government discussion around cutting the 0.7% foreign aid budget, Will discusses its relevance for today, and for the gospel. Few government departments are subject to such rigorous scrutiny over their spending as the Department for International Development (DfID). Nevertheless, …
Why work should be part of welcome
Over the last six weeks, our series of blogs have been exploring what it means to offer a welcoming environment to refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants. Today, Simeon Mitchell argues that giving people seeking asylum the right to work should be part of offering a proper welcome to those …
The Power of Seeing People Complexly: reflections after visiting Calais
In the latest blog in our series on creating a welcoming environment, Bethan writes about her experience of spending a week in Calais with a group from St Ethelburga’s Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, working with the organisations Help Refugees and Refugee Community Kitchen. In recent weeks, …
Rain no barrier to integration of New Scots
In the latest blog about creating a welcoming environment, Sabine Chalmers of Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees writes about the Edinburgh Weekend Club, a regular social integration event for refugees. It was a horrible morning – cold and pouring with rain – and my mind was spinning. We …
2 Minute Briefing: Two-Child Rule
11th January 2019 Churches, faith groups and charities are agreed that the two child rule is a terrible policy. It is wrong in principle and its many bad consequences will include pushing around 200,000 children into poverty. Today’s announcement is welcome because, in the short term, 15,000 …
Welcoming all: a view from Malta
Having spent years talking about and visiting foodbanks, I didn’t imagine that the first time I would work in one it would be in Valletta, the capital city of Malta. Malta is a popular holiday destination for many British people. But its place in the middle of the Mediterranean means that it has …
Jesus the migrant: a reflection for the Feast of the Holy Innocents
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by …
What would be in a Welcome Manifesto from your church?
Today, 18 December, is the UN International Migrants Day. If you are not a migrant but part of a community or society that is receiving migrants, it is a day to think about offering a hand of welcome and friendship. If you are a migrant yourself, it is a day to think about your experiences of …