Julie Hesmondhalgh, Coronation Street star backs Winter Welcome Party for Asylum Seekers

    "This was better than any of us could have hoped for" said Julie Hesmondhalgh, who helped organise a winter welcome party for asylum seekers in south London on Saturday 8th December. "We thought that if we got 100 people along it would have been a success, but when over 200 people turned up we were delighted. It was an unforgettable evening."

     The party was held at the Copleston Centre in Peckham and hosted by the Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers. Local activists came up with the idea for the party and were very pleased when it was taken up by many other local campaigns and charities.

    The event raised over £600, including a huge donation from Julie Hesmondhalgh - better known as Hayley in ITV's Coronation Street. Donations also came from a local school, Southwark Unison and the Communication Workers Union. Other campaigns and organisations donated money and toys.

     This meant that the children of refugees and asylum seekers got presents. With plenty of food and drink and pizzas cooked by a local restaurant, a wonderful gypsy band, Mukka, a juggler, face painting, singers and poets from Chile, Iran and Congo, everybody had a great time.

     The serious message behind the festivities was to let asylum seekers know that the racist treatment they face from the Home Office is opposed by many ordinary people in the UK. The large number of asylum seekers who came to the party was matched by large numbers of local people and the message was clear - stop persecuting refugees and asylum seekers, stop racist scapegoating, asylum seekers are welcome here!