An effort to offer a hand of friendship to "the most marginalized of all" asylum seekers – those in detention – was the focus for the first in a new series of Greencoat Forums

An effort to offer a hand of friendship to "the most marginalized of all" asylum seekers – those in detention – was the focus for the first in a new series of Greencoat Forums, held at the IofC centre in Greencoat Place, London, on 12 October.

Speakers were Felicity Dick, Chairman, and Mary Lean, Vice-Chairman, of the Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group. The Crawley-based charity is one of five winners of the Guardian Charity awards 2004 – out of a field of 700 selected for consideration.

Setting the wider scene, Mary Lean pointed out that all the great world faiths contained very strong traditions of welcoming the stranger. "Somehow this has become forgotten in Christian Britain," she said. Fears of being overwhelmed by a sea of asylum-seekers, whipped up by politicians and sections of the popular press, create instead an atmosphere of suspicion and even hostility. The result was that "we see the floods and we don't see the faces". The answer to the often-heard question, "Why do they all come here?" was, "They don't!" In terms of the "burden" different countries carry in receiving refugees (number of up-rooted people supported in relation to population, size and GDP), the UK comes in at only 32nd in the world league table.

Sometimes, said Mary Lean, official treatment seemed to add up to "deterrence by destitution". Currently asylum-seekers are not allowed to work and have no choice (unless taken in by relatives or friends) of where they live. "It is true that not every applicant has a good case and not everyone tells the truth – but in our desire not to be a soft touch it is often the most genuine who suffer," she said. "It has been well said that how we treat asylum-seekers is a litmus test of the health of our democracies."

Felicity Dick said that Tinsley House at Gatwick Airport, which holds up to 150 people, was the first purpose-built detention centre in the UK. There are now 13 centres (not all purpose-built) across the country. She assumed that the main reason for detaining people was to ensure that they left the country if their application for asylum had failed. "But some are detained on arrival and who is, and who is not, detained seems to be totally arbitrary." Detention was always traumatic, especially as in the majority of cases no time-limit is given. "Typically detainees are picked up at short notice from their homes or place of work - often in the early hours - with no time to put their affairs in order. This might involve the care of children or the fate of a parked car or possessions left behind. It can be quite a cruel procedure."

The Gatwick group has two full-time workers and 80 volunteer visitors. Their task is to "get alongside" any detainee asking for a visit, be a listening ear and help in any way possible. This can vary from helping to find legal assistance to providing toiletries or warm clothes. They may visit them in hospital or attend hearings. "Many are under stress and frightened of being returned," says Felicity Dick. "What they tell us they most appreciate is the respect our volunteers and staff accord them.” In a typical year 800 may request a visitor.

The Gatwick group sometimes has to turn away volunteers, so many are wanting to help. "If this is a sign that there is a considerable body of opinion out there which wants to give asylum-seekers respect, why is this not reflected in the 'popular opinion' so often quoted to us by politicians and the press?" asked Mary Lean.

A vigorous question and answer session followed. Some who spoke from the floor had themselves been refugees.

by Paul Williams

* The day after the Greencoat Forum, ‘The Guardian’ carried feature articles about the Guardian Charity Award winners. “Journey’s aid” was the headline over an article by Saba Salman, who had interviewed Mary Lean. The article quoted Lean as saying, “Our aim is to show people in detention that someone cares… We think of it as walking alongside them.”