A couple of months ago I took part in a concert to raise money for a Newcastle project which collects groceries and clothes for refugees. Recently I decided to take it further and contacted the charity organisers, John and Audrey Marshall, and they invited me to meet their clients and fellow support workers. Most of the attendees are asylum seekers, some of whom have been trying for years to be accepted. I spoke with one chap from Kurdistan called Ari Mohammed who had been in the UK for 13 years, was married to an English woman and had two daughters (he proudly showed me their photos). Though his wife could work here and his children attended British schools (and only spoke English) his asylum application continued to be refused though he did not know why. Another chap, Sami from the Sudan, had been here for 18 months, was now studying English at Newcastle College and keen to work. He said it had taken 3 months to get here, mostly held up in Italy getting registered. Two other young men, who had only been here 3 months, came from Eritrea and were still struggling with our language which they realised was quite a handicap.

I also spoke with the dedicated staff who, it was clear, were motivated by a simple humanitarian desire to help and support these vulnerable people. Given that many are technically homeless (sleeping on friend’s floors and sofas, etc,) and must survive only on charitable hand-outs and a pitiful £39 per week Government allowance, it can hardly be said they have come here to scrounge. Obviously, in the long run, there have to be international agreements and peace-making initiatives in the war-torn countries of origin, but for now we who have so much should do all we can to support those in need – it’s simply about decent human behaviour. That’s my belief anyway.

Our next move is to make a musical recording – maybe a single or maybe an album, we don’t know yet – along with a short video, and get it out there to start raising money for the charity.