Friday 5 December 2025
225 local community groups from across the UK are joining forces to tell the Home Secretary that they reject her ‘ruthless new plans to erode refugee rights’ in an open letter (1) today (5 December). Community organisations from Asylum Link Merseyside to West Cornwall Against Racism (2), including refugee charities, sports teams, faith organisations, businesses and arts groups have signed the letter, with some attending an action outside the Home Office today.
The letter, responding to the government’s plans ‘Restoring Order and Control’ announced on 17 November, states: “Every day we witness people stepping up – opening their homes, volunteering their time, speaking out for fairness and supporting one another. We know that your cruel new plans do not represent us, our communities or who we are as a country.”
It finishes: “We – communities across the UK – are standing together to reject your plans. Now is not the time to play into the hands of those seeking to build them-and-us division between local communities and refugees. Now is the time to focus on what unites us, find common ground and offer our humanity to those who have already suffered enough.”
The letter and Home Office demonstration kick off a week of ‘Communities Together for Refugees’ action around the country, organised in collaboration with communities and Together With Refugees. With far-right rallies against refugees and overnight displays of flags, local people in communities across the UK are joining forces with others in their area to show solidarity and compassion for those who have been forced to flee their homes due to war and persecution.
More than 30 actions are planned in towns and villages across the UK, including Christmas markets, street stalls, craft sessions, musical performances and food festivities. 10,000 posters with the message ‘We Stand Together with Refugees’ will also be placed in windows across the country – from houses and community spaces to places of worship and businesses.
Minda Burgos-Lukes, an organiser at the Together With Refugees Community Organising Network, is coordinating today’s action at the Home Office as part of the week of action.
She said: “We are coming together from communities across the country to tell the Home Secretary that we reject her cruel plans. Through our work and personal experiences, we see every day the courage of people forced to flee their homes and the compassion they are met with in our communities.
“Most people respond with solidarity: they open their homes, offer support, and speak up because they know welcoming refugees is an act of community, love and care.
“The far-right marches and attempts to spread fear do not reflect what we witness on the ground. This weekend, we stand together with refugees to show what our communities are truly capable of – showing each other appreciation, respect, dignity, and hope.”
With 80% of the British public wanting an approach to the asylum system that is well managed, fair and compassionate, the ‘Community Together For Refugees’ weekend of action is an opportunity for communities to celebrate their commitment to kindness, cohesion and safety.
Anyone wanting to join the actions and show compassion for refugees this weekend can print out their own posters to display.
ENDS
(1) The full letter
Dear Home Secretary
In communities up and down the country, we are proud to show warmth and kindness to refugees. Every day we witness people stepping up – opening their homes, volunteering their time, speaking out for fairness and supporting one another. We know that your cruel new plans do not represent us, our communities or who we are as a country.
You said it was a moral mission to resolve division. We agree. The responsibility to end the divisive politics, racist rhetoric and demonising language of the past lies with all political leaders. Your ruthless new plans to erode refugee rights and the harmful language used by politicians in recent weeks will only feed the hostility in our communities. They send a message to those of us who have sought safety here, as well as our neighbours, colleagues, friends, and families, that refugees will never be truly welcome.
We know, given the chance, refugees do so much to enrich our communities. From our high streets to our hospitals, from our schools to our community spaces, Britain is stronger because of people who’ve come here seeking safety.
People who have fled the horror of war and persecution, suffering terrible trauma, need support to heal and rebuild their lives. Instead, this Government is choosing cruelty over compassion.
We – communities across the UK – are standing together to reject your plans. Now is not the time to play into the hands of those seeking to build division between local communities and refugees. Now is the time to focus on what unites us, find common ground and offer our humanity to people who have already suffered enough.
(2) Full list of signatories below (names of signatories and six organisations have been redacted for security reasons)
- Abergavenny Town of Sanctuary
- Abigail Housing
- Action Foundation (Refugee Support Charity, Newcastle)
- Active Horizons
- African Caribbean Support Organisation Northern Ireland
- African Community Centre
- All Of Us
- Amour Destiné
- Angels of Freedom CIC
- ARC Stockton Arts Centre
- Asylum Link Merseyside
- Asylum Seeker and Refugee Support Network St Thomas Church Lancaster
- Asylum Welcome
- Barnsley Borough City of Sanctuary
- barter’d
- Bath Campaigns Network
- Bath Islamic Society Ltd
- Bath University Left Union (BULU)
- Bath Welcomes Refugees
- BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
- Bicycle Links CIC
- Big Leaf Foundation
- Birmingham City of Sanctuary
- Birmingham Community Hosting Network
- Birmingham Justice and Peace Commission
- Borderlands South West
- Bradford City of Sanctuary
- Bristol & Bath Freedom from Torture local Supporters’ Group
- Bristol Defend the Asylum Seekers Campaign
- Bristol NEU
- Bristol Refugee Rights
- Bristol Trades Council
- Bromsgrove and Redditch Welcome Refugees
- Budleigh Syrian Community Sponsorship
- Bury Fairtrade
- Calais Light
- Calderdale Valley of Sanctuary
- Cambridge Convoy Refugee Action Group
- Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign
- Care4Calais Coventry and Warwickshire
- Care4Calais Heathrow
- Care4Calais Liverpool
- Care4Calais Manchester
- Care4Calais North East
- Care4Calais Oxford
- Care4Calais Scotland
- Care4Calais Thames Valley
- Caritas Archdiocese of Southwark
- Caritas Salford
- Carlisle One World Centre
- Carlisle Refugee Action Group
- ChangeMakers
- Circular Social
- City of Sanctuary Sheffield
- CLEAR Project
- Climate Action Hub Exeter
- Community Integration and Advocacy Centre (CIAC)
- Company of Others
- Connection Support
- Coventry Asylum & Refugee Action Group (Carag)
- Coventry Stand up to Racism
- Creative Youth Network
- Crossroads Community Hub
- Cultures in Unity Training and Development
- Cumberland Sanctuary Network
- Darlington Assistance for Refugees
- Derbyshire Refugee Solidarity
- Devon Lobbying Group
- Doncaster Conversation Club
- Eastbourne Greenpeace
- Eastbourne Solidarity
- Education 4 all 23
- Elmbridge CAN
- Ely Refugee Resettlement Campaign
- Epsom & Ewell Refugee Network
- Esolperth English Language Lessons
- Evesham Vale Welcomes Refugees
- Exeter Community Alliance
- Exeter Respect CIC
- Extinction Rebellion Exeter
- Falmouth and Penryn Welcome Refugees
- Father Hudson’s Caritas
- Fences & Frontiers
- forRefugees
- Forth Valley Welcome
- Freedom from Torture Edinburgh Local Group
- Freedom From Torture Birmingham Group
- Freedom from Torture Manchester Support Group
- Freedom from Torture North London Supporters Group
- Freedom from Torture Oxford Local Group
- Friends of Scottish Settlers (FOSS Falkirk)
- Gilded Lily Inspiring Enterprise CIC
- Global Link
- Govan Community Project
- Greater Manchester Fairtrade Network
- GreenNet
- Greenpeace Birmingham
- Greenpeace St Albans
- Greenwich Cricket CIC
- Haringey Migrant Support Centre
- Hastings City of Sanctuary
- Hastings Supports Refugees
- Hay, Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees
- Heart4Refugees CIC
- Herts for Refugees
- Herts Welcomes Refugees
- Highbury Vale Blackstock Trust
- Hope Projects
- Host Nation
- Humans of Wolverhampton
- Islington Faiths Forum
- Just Shelter
- Katherine Low Settlement
- Kehillah North London
- Kent Refugee Action Network (KRAN)
- Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network
- LegalAliens Theatre
- Lewes Refugee Support Group
- Lifeline Options CIC
- Manchester Amnesty International
- Manchester City of Sanctuary
- Manchester Community Central
- Marketing Communities CIC
- Mary Thompson Fund
- merl
- Merseyside Refugee Support Network
- Merseyside Solidarity Knows No Borders
- Methodist Central Hall Manchester
- Minority Inclusion Front (MIF UK)
- Network Against Occupation
- New Horizon Youth Centre
- No More Exclusions
- Norwich City of Sanctuary
- Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum
- Oldham Unity
- One Community Link
- Open Door North East
- Oxfordshire Homeless Movement (OHM)
- Pan Intercultural Arts
- PERN (Penrith and Eden Refugee Network)
- Poetic Justice Group
- Portsmouth City of Sanctuary (PCoS)
- Preston City of Sanctuary
- RADAR (Rochdale Action with Destitute Asylum seekers and Refugees)
- RAIS Lancaster
- RAY (Refugee Action York)
- Rebelliousknitsandcrochet
- Refugee Action Kingston
- Refugee Futures
- Refugee Resource
- Refugee Support Devon
- Refugee Support Europe
- Refugee Welcome Homes
- Refugee Women of Bristol
- Restore, a project of Birmingham Churches Together
- Rethink Rebuild Society
- RSA Devon and Exeter
- Salford Community Upskilling
- Salusbury World
- Sanctuary on Sea
- Scotswood Garden
- Scottish Detainee Visitors
- Shropshire Supports Refugees
- Simon Community Scotland
- Sisters of St Joseph of Peace
- Skipton Refugee Support Group
- Solace Surviving Exile and Persecution
- Southampton Action
- Southampton and Winchester Visitors Group (SWVG)
- Southampton Greenpeace
- Sri Lankan Community
- St Augustine’s Centre
- St Nicholas of Tolentino Catholic Church
- Stand and Be Counted Theatre Ltd
- Stand Up To Racism Nuneaton
- Stand Up To Racism South Devon
- STAR (Student Action for Refugees) Bristol
- Stockport Refugee Support Group
- Stories of Hope and Home
- Sudafest CIC
- Suffolk Refugee Support
- Sussex Interpreting Services
- Tai Pawb
- Tees Valley of Sanctuary
- The Hummingbird Refugee Project
- The Margins Project
- The Refugee Buddy Project Hasting Rother and Wealden
- The Separated Child Foundation
- The Seven Bridges
- The Springfield Project
- The University of Bath Islamic Society
- The VOICES Network
- Through the Cracks
- Toxteth Women’s Centre
- Trans Pride Exeter
- Trinity Safe Space
- Ubuntu Women Shelter
- Union Chapel
- University of Bath Stands with Palestine
- Vauxhall Community Law & Information Centre
- Volunteering Bradford
- Walking With In North Tyne side
- Waltham Forest Migrant Action
- Warrington Asylum Seeker & Refugee Support Group
- Waterloo Community Counselling
- Welcome Group Halesowen
- Welcome Here Stratford-upon-Avon
- West Cornwall Against Racism
- West Cumbria Refugee Support Network
- West End Refugee Service
- West London Welcome
- West Suffolk Greenpeace Group
- Women Asylum Seekers Together
- Women Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Migrants (WARM)
- Women’s Support Project
- Worcester City Welcomes Refugees
- Wycombe Refugee Partnership
- YAHYA’s International Hub
About Together with Refugees
Together With Refugees is the largest pro-refugee coalition in British history with more than 600 member organisations, from grassroots and refugee-led groups to international development charities and trade unions. With 80% of the British public wanting an approach to the asylum system that is well managed, fair and compassionate, the coalition also has a growing network of committed people getting organised and taking action to influence their MPs in constituencies across the country. The coalition is calling for a fair new plan for refugees that upholds the UK’s commitment under international law to the right to claim asylum, provides a proper strategy for welcoming refugees, and forges stronger global cooperation to tackle the root causes that force people to flee their homes and provides positive solutions when they do, including through safe routes to refugee protection. Find out more at togetherwithrefugees.org.uk and @RefugeeTogether on X and @RefugeesTogether on Instagram and BlueSky.