A MESSAGE of thanks has been sent to Upper Wharfedale School in Threshfield from asylum seekers escaping war torn parts of the world.

The school has developed a relationship with the Bradford Asylum Seekers Advice and Support Network (BIASAN), regularly sending gifts throughout the year, and also at Christmas time.

And, to show their appreciation, the people who attend the network, to learn how to speak English, put together a message of thanks written on a large piece of lining wallpaper. A similar message showing their appreciation was sent to residents of Upper Wharfedale who have also been sending gifts.

BIASAN is a long standing voluntary organisation helping asylum seekers who have been sent by the Government to live in Bradford while their cases are being considered by the Home Office.

The process takes months and often years before they learn whether their application for asylum has been accepted and they have can remain as official refugees in the UK for five years, or they are refused and told to return to the country from where they came from.

Volunteer Richard Hargreaves, who lives in Hawkswick, and who has been running English classes twice a week in Bradford for 20 years, said aware of both the horrendous journeys that most asylum seekers have made to get to the UK and the difficulties of their lives in limbo in Bradford, people in Upper Wharfedale have been cheering them up for the last two years with mountains of Christmas gifts.

Upper Wharfedale School has a well-deserved ‘School of Sanctuary’ recognition for its care and support for people in need in both the community around it and also the wider world.

“Their Equality Committee of senior pupils and staff sends beautifully wrapped and labelled toys, games and clothes for the children and families who come to BIASAN’s women’s group on Thursday afternoons,” he said.

“At their Christmas parties in 2018 and 2019, gift-giving Santa made a dramatic appearance from Africa, from Sudan one year and Kenya the next.

“Some of the gifts also found their way to the Wednesday and Thursday afternoon English lessons where there have been parents with young children amongst the up to 30 or more people from Africa, the Middle East, Asia and recently Central America.”

The question, he said had been to find a way to express thanks and appreciation of the gifts and the touching gesture of the whole school in its thinking and caring for asylum seekers from so far afield.

In a recent English lesson, on a 220 cm length of lining wallpaper students worked together to talk and colour in the BIASAN lettering and write thank you in English and their own language, then their names and the countries they came from.

Mr Hargreaves delivered the banner to the school, showing it to the equality committee and two separate human rights classes which asked him ‘good and searching’ questions on asylum and refugees. The banner to the wider community is to be displayed at Buckden Institute..

“In the current national climate of hostile environment and media denigration of migrants these moments of goodwill and appreciation are most welcome,” said Mr Hargreaves.