Donations plea after funding is cut to Shipley refugee support group

7:50am Wednesday 11th January 2012

By Marc Meneaud

A charity project which has saved lives by providing support to refugees and asylum seekers across the Bradford district is at risk of closure after its funding was ended.

Shipley-based Stepping Stone, which has seen a ten per cent rise in the number of people asking for help, has been forced to turn away a quarter of those referred to it in 2011.

Its £10,000-a-year funding for two support workers – previously paid for by Bradford Council and the NHS – has now been withdrawn.

Natasha Thomas, project manager for Hale, the charity which set up Stepping Stone in 2010, said it was now appealing for donations to help keep the service running.

She said: “We find that often the people who are referred to us have significant mental health problems due to personal trauma and depression, and so to be able to engage in ‘normal’ activities or make the most out of local resources is very hard for them to do.

“Having someone they can rely on to help navigate these problems with them is a critical lifeline. And without being melodramatic, this project has actually saved lives.

“However, we are at risk of having to withdraw our Stepping Stone service when the level of demand is highest.”

The group, based in Ashley Lane, was set up to help men, women and children fleeing persecution in their home countries. It employs former asylum seekers to help others.

The team of volunteers help users by explaining what help is available from organisations including health and legal services.

Stepping Stone project co-ordinator Morteza Hosseini , a former asylum seeker who came to Britain from Iran in 2004, said: “When we get these referrals, 98 per cent who come to us are socially isolated and depressed and we help to remove that.

“If we do not deal with people, they are usually put on permanent medication and treatment, at a cost.

“There is also the damage that it can do to individuals and society – maybe you get into crime if there is no income or support. People are going to be marginalised.”

Mrs Thomas said referrals had been “significantly high”, with 41 people this year using the service so far, compared with 46 in 2010.

She added: “We reluctantly turned away a further 25 per cent of referrals so far during 2011, proving that there is a significant need for this service in Bradford.

“We are appealing for donations from anyone who can help to enable this vital scheme to continue.”

Anyone who can help should contact the Stepping Stone scheme at Hale on (01274) 271088 or go to haleproject.org.uk.