September 14, 2015 10.05 am This story is over 102 months old

Lincoln residents to show solidarity with refugees at public event in city

Collective response: An event for Lincoln residents to publicly display their support for refugees will be held in the city later this month.
Photo: Reuters

An event for Lincoln residents to publicly display their support for refugees will be held in the city later this month.

The #CompassionateLincoln Event will take place at Lincoln Drill Hall on September 26, with those attending set to hear real-life experiences of those who have sought refuge, and share their own ideas and questions on the crisis.

The event follows a successful meeting held by the group earlier this month where a number of Lincoln residents discussed how the city can offer a collective response to the growing refugee crisis.

Charlotte Kemp, organiser said: “There has been a build-up of an inward-looking and unsympathetic approach to social issues over the last few years.

“As I watched recent coverage of Britain’s response to this humanitarian crisis I didn’t feel that I identified at all with the message that was being sent and so I invited people who I thought might feel similarly to a meeting.

“This event is an opportunity for the community to come together to show their support for refugees who have had no choice but to leave their homes and all they know to escape conflict.

“Some fantastic work has been undertaken locally to respond to this crisis and we want to celebrate that and raise awareness of initiatives that still need support.”

This event follows on from the efforts of Lincoln mum Caroline Kearsey, whose petition asking Lincolnshire County Council to home 50 refugee families in the city has received nearly 400 signatures.

Similarly, a special collection point, where people dropped off supplies for those in Calais, was organised by businesswoman Emily Kent in Lincoln on September 6.

Hundreds of people turned out to make donations.

Hundreds of people turned out to make donations.

To book your free place at the event, contact Lincoln Drill Hall Box Office on 01522 873894 or online.

For further details, email [email protected] or ‘Like’ the Facebook page.