UNFORTUNATELY, welcoming some Syrian refugee families to live in Malvern appears to be developing into a contentious issue.
It is important to realise that these families will be refugees in every sense of the word – they have already fled for their lives from Syria and are at the moment living in UNHCR refugee camps in neighbouring countries, where living conditions are very poor and prospects of an improved life are nil.
Their residency in UK would only be temporary and after five years here they would have to apply for permanent leave to remain.
The scheme to welcome them here is a EU-backed scheme, and funding will not come from local government.
The record of the UK government in accepting refugees (and again, I repeat, refugees from dire and dangerous situations) is shameful.
Lebanon has 1.2million staying there and Germany has agreed to welcome 30,000. The number we are proposing to accept in UK will fit onto two double-decker buses.
Let us make these people welcome and be glad to offer them a new beginning in our community.
Ruth Pole
Malvern
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