While her application for asylum was being processed, Jwan heard about a Refugee Day Centre in West Croydon where her family could receive basic assistance and have a chance to meet with fellow Iraqi refugees.
“I didn’t know anyone, I had no one to talk too and I wasn’t sure how I was going to look after my children”, says Jwan. “The West Croydon Refugee Day Centre gave me what I needed – food, clothes for my children and a chance to learn English with other Iraqis.”

The West Croydon Refugee Day Centre opened in 1996 and currently provides Croydon’s asylum seekers with cooked food, second-hand clothing, household goods, a crèche, access to bi-lingual advice and a non-threatening environment in which to meet. Twice-weekly English Language classes also provide them with a much-needed inroad into a country that can at times appear intimidating and confusing.

	“The Centre looks for practical ways to help individuals find their way in a new and sometimes hostile environment,” says Beryl Telman, Manager of the West Croydon Refugee Day Centre. “Asylum seekers are often referred to us because we are considered peoples ‘last port of call’ for basic amenities such as food and clothing.”

The catalyst for Croydon’s churches to begin meeting the needs of asylum seekers and refugees was provided in the form of the 1996 Asylum & Immigration Act. Changes in the law affecting asylum seekers resulted in previously available financial benefits for asylum seekers withdrawn and replaced by a system of vouchers that left many asylum seekers lacking the provision of basic amenities. Following a meeting of Churches Together in Croydon (CTC), West Croydon Baptist Church was chosen as the most appropriate venue to house a facility for refugees and asylum seekers. The West Croydon Refugee Day Centre began running out of its church hall in October 1996, later expanding into other rooms within the church complex.

Since then, the Centre has seen hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers, some referred from the Home Office and other local statutory agencies such as National Asylum Support Service (NASS), and others hearing of the Centre by word of mouth. Although checks are preformed on each visitor to ensure that they are genuine asylum seekers or refugees, the Centre has been regularly full to capacity As Beryl Telman explains, “Over the last two years we have not had a promotional exercise and still we have over 100 people visit our Tuesday drop-in service each week.”

When asked what she thinks the ‘Christian’ response to the issue of refugees and asylum seekers should be, Beryl answers, “What would Jesus do? Jesus would have helped people in need. He didn’t question their motives, he just helped them.” While Beryl is clear that we should not be “gullible or uninformed” about those we are seeking to help, she believes that above all “we should not judge them.”
With such direct, non-judgemental and compassionate response to a politically tricky issue, the West Croydon Refugee Day Centre has developed an excellent reputation amongst the refugee community and beyond.

Jwan is one of the Centre’s success stories. Miraculously, her husband, who was left disabled from the torture he endured, managed to escape from prison and rejoin his family in Croydon six months after they had arrived. In August 2002 Jwan received an award from the Mayor of Croydon for persevering to complete an Access to Teaching course and moving on to study a Bachelor of Education. Her family joined her as she was presented the award during a ceremony held in Croydon’s Town Hall. Both Jwan and her husband are now actively involved in the running of the Refugee Day Centre.

	Jwan says, “The staff have been great to my family in so many ways. Even when I found my own place, they helped me move in, clean my house and clear my garden.” She adds, “My experience at the Day Centre has helped me to feel at home. I r