Leominster ready with clothing, English lessons and support for hotel asylum seekers
The team has already been helping people at the Three Counties Hotel in Hereford
People in Leominster are already throwing their arms around asylum seekers which are moving to the town.
The Home Office is housing people in the town centre Talbot Hotel, which had been closed before contractor Serco moved in this week.
The first families are also now believed to be there, and groups such as the Diocese of Hereford will be involved in offering clothing, support and English lessons for those living there.
The government has said hotels need to be used as there are high numbers of people crossing the Channel in small boats but there are also delays in the system.
It means that around 45,000 people are now being housed in hotels across the country, including in Hereford, Worcester and Evesham.
Wendy Coombey has already been working with the men housed at the Three Counties Hotel in Hereford and will now also support the families at the Talbot.
“Children must always be our priority to make sure that they're well supported and looked after as their traumas and experiences will be different,” she said.
“But whatever we do, it will be needs based. It will be asking them how can we best support you.”
She added: “They arrive here with very little and sometimes not even one change of clothes, just the clothes they're stood up in.
“We know that they're going to be children and families amongst the people coming here.
“We really have a duty of care to make sure that the families and particularly the children, are made to feel welcome and loved and supported.”
The Reverend Guy Cole said: Boredom is a huge issue for asylum seekers and so spaces and places where people can be welcomed and can be involved in activities is something we'd really encourage people to volunteer for.”
The town's Conservative MP Sir Bill Wiggin had raised his concerns over how local services would cope, but Ryelands Surgery says its existing patients won't be affected.
“Ryeland Surgery has been asked to provide medical care for them,” a spokesperson said.
“We will do our best to provide the same high standard of care we aspire to provide for all our patients.
“The refugees are likely to be in Leominster for many months and we look forward to getting to know them over time and working with other services and the voluntary sector to meet their needs.
“We will provide extra capacity for this work so that our care for local residents is not affected.”
Herefordshire Council said the county has a proud history of welcoming and supporting refugees and asylum seekers.
There will be security 24 hours a day and seven days a week at the hotel, and it said it was “likely” the Home Office would actively consider other hotels in Herefordshire.