On Wednesday evening (September 9), a group of interested parties from local churches, the Town Council and other bodies, met in St Mary’s Church to explore the kind of help that the Town could offer should refugees come to Marlborough.
They agreed to set up a Register of Interests listing local people with necessary skills to be ready to help any refugees who may come to the area. And they drew up a letter expressing the views of the meeting which has been sent to Wiltshire Council’s Leader, Councillor Jane Scott. It has been copied to Claire Perry MP and Ashley Fox MEP.
One of the signatories told Marlborough News Online that there was a determination at the meeting of “the wish to capture something of the energy and good will that seems to be at large at present.”
The letter is headed “Marlborough Welcomes Refugees” – the full text is given below:
“We are writing to convey our determination that the Marlborough community wishes to be a place that would welcome refugees and be able to offer genuine hospitality.
Whilst individuals are already donating money and expressing their concern at the plight of so many people, our wish is to convey something of the community as a whole. In the past Marlborough has welcomed Asian refugees from Uganda and of course we have our 32-year link with the Muslim Community of Gunjur in The Gambia; our wish is to maintain this tradition of hospitality.
To that end local groups, including the churches and the Town Council, intend to set up a Register of Interests, so that the skills of local people that might be of benefit to refugees are ‘ready and waiting’ in the event that we are able to host them. We will also gather a list of people who would have the capacity to host individuals or a family should that be appropriate.
We recognize the complexity of the situation and do not claim to have all the answers, but we believe that it is imperative that Britain be a place of profound welcome to our fellow humans in such distress.
We are encouraged by the lead that Wiltshire Council has demonstrated as evidenced by information on the website and from press reports and we trust that in the coming weeks that lead will be built upon and extended.
In Marlborough we are wishing to play our part and we hope that this expression of support and solidarity is one you will welcome and even find useful.”
The letter was signed by Councillor Margaret Rose (Mayor of Marlborough), Rev Andrew Studdert-Kennedy (Team Rector, Anglican Team), Rev Heather Cooper (Methodist Minister), Matthew Devlin (CAFOD Representative, St Thomas More Catholic Church), Rev Miri Keen (Team Vicar, Anglican Team), Dr Barney Rosedale (Society of Friends), Dr Nick Maurice (Marlborough Brandt Group), Jeremy Yorke (Marlborough Jubilee Centre) – and others.
Wiltshire Council’s statement headed Wiltshire’s role in helping vulnerable refugees can be read here.
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