There are approximately 2000 refugees in Suffolk, the majority of them living in Ipswich. For historical reasons, the largest community comprises Iraqi Kurds, with established communities of Iranians and Afghans as well. Many of these have refugee status or leave to remain in the UK, with some also having achieved British citizenship. Others, however, find themselves still in legal limbo after more than a decade in the country.
There are also currently 80-90 asylum seekers, many of them families, housed in Ipswich under the government’s ‘dispersal’ system. These people come from a range of countries and all are awaiting a decision on their asylum claim. Suffolk is also taking part in the UK government’s Syrian Vulnerable Person Resettlement and Vulnerable Children Resettlement Schemes, with political leaders across Suffolk’s public sector unanimously agreeing to take up to 230 vulnerable refugees from Syria (and elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa) over the next five years.
Suffolk Refugee Support has been commissioned to provide specialist casework for these families. The first Syrian refugees arrived in Ipswich in March 2016 and many are settling in well, working, volunteering, studying and beginning to rebuild their lives with our support. Due to this expanding service Suffolk Refugee Support have taken additional space which needed refurbishing. Suffolk ProHelp has been able to provide architect and planning support from EDRM, support form Quanitty Survyors Playle and Partners, Construction Design Management from MLM, and Structural Engineering support from Hestur Ltd. A team effort from professional members of Suffolk ProHelp has been essential to this development.
http://suffolkrefugee.org.uk/