News - Positive Action in Housing

24 April 2021

Our services during Covid 19

This post explains how you can safely access our services. Due to Covid 19, we can only see clients face to face by appointment outdoors or via Zoom. Because of the numbers of people who need help, the best way to get help is to complete the online self referral form…

19 April 2021

Statement on Home Office putting vulnerable asylum seekers at increased suicide risk in detention.

In response to Royal College of Psychiatrists calls on ministers to stop placing mentally unwell people in removal centres, Robina Qureshi, Director of refugee and migrant homelessness charity, Positive Action in Housing, which supports hundreds of asylum seekers each year, said: “We agree with the Royal College of psychiatrists that…

12 April 2021

Open letter to Boris Johnson

Dear Prime Minister, We, the undersigned, reject the findings of the “independent” Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities published on the 31st of March 2021. Should you and your Government be genuinely committed to acknowledging and addressing the issue of racial equity in the UK, we would call on you to…

25 February 2021

Our submission of evidence regarding the use of hotels as asylum accommodation during the pandemic

On February 19, 2021 we submitted evidence to the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders & Immigration regarding the use of hotels as asylum accommodation during the pandemic. Having had to consistently intervene with humanitarian support for over 20 years since forced dispersal first started in Glasgow and having observed the operations of private…

1 February 2021

The Greek Tragedy at Lesvos

This is Kara Tepe Camp – “Moria 2” – in Lesvos where thousands of refugees make their “home”. Flooded tents because of low lying ground. Frozen overnight. Since winter hit the island, the new Kara Tepe camp has been flooded, it still lacks heating, and tents have collapsed from the wind. On Christmas…

25 January 2021

Mears Whitewash

According to an article by Kirsteen Paterson in the National, the Mears Group “has now established an asylum seeker and refugee forum to improve its performance. Members of that forum, chaired by award-winning Afghan activist Abdul Bostani, include representatives of diverse communities in Glasgow. Bostani said: “Everything we…

19 December 2020

International Migrants Day

On #InternationalMigrantsDay2020 @PositiveActionH donated a total of £22,500 from its Refugee Crisis Fund to four grassroots organisations in Lesvos, Greece for their determined hard work and humanitarianism. These are Eric and Philippa Kempson’s Hope Project, Team Humanity, Stand By Me Lesvos and Aegean Boat Report . All high impact,…

18 December 2020

Positive Action in Housing opens Christmas appeal for refugees in Glasgow

Refugee and migrant homelessness charity Positive Action in Housing has launched an appeal to raise a further £5,000 by Christmas Day to complete its fundraising appeal. In the run up to Christmas, the charity says it is providing crisis grants, PPE, winter care packs, food, travel support and essential digital…

13 December 2020

Gratitude

Thank you to Geanina from our #humansofglasgownetwork who washed and ironed her own girls’ clothes for the six year old and seven year old daughters of another mother. That and Christmas presents too. Look at how beautifully pressed the clothes are. This work could only have been…

10 December 2020

Parveen Begum Ashraf: Eulogy

Parveen Begum Ashraf, aged 52, died of a heart attack on 25 November in Glasgow. Estranged from her family in Pakistan, Parveen suffered several years of poverty and destitution in Glasgow while trying to resolve her asylum status. Like many people seeking asylum getting a decision on a complex case can take…