25 March 2025
LICC Vision Tour
How would Jesus do your job? How would he reply to that email? How would he handle that tricky meeting? How…
Restore: News, Training and Befriending
25th March 2025
Liv Glenny, Restore’s new Befriending Women’s Worker and Communications Officer (a combined, 4 day a week role) writes:
“Hello! My name is Liv, and I am delighted to be the newest member of the team at Restore!
I am so excited to be in this new role where I will be overseeing the women’s group social activities, undertaking some new referrals and increasing Restore’s communications with key networks. In relation to women’s work, I am excited to get to know our wonderful service users and organise fun activities to help them integrate into our city and meet other women! As someone who is passionate about relationships and how structures enhance this, one of my hopes for Restore is to also engage in more campaigning and networking with other organisations who are advocating for change on a policy level.
Since I was young, my Mum has inspired me to work with refugees! She has always encouraged us to keep up to date on issues affecting their journey and now she works with the Red Cross. Various personal experiences have also motivated me to work with refugees. During my degree, I studied in Jerusalem, where I focused on Islamic and Jewish studies, refugee studies and Middle Eastern studies, deepening my respect for this region. I also volunteered in a refugee camp in Lesvos where I found myself feeling inspired every day by people living in camp and the volunteers. This is where I decided to commit my post-Uni career to working with refugees and asylum seekers.
Befriending and ‘face to face’ work is imperative to integration, but I do also believe this work is enhanced when we campaign for policy to be fair, compassionate and effective. My communications and policy internship with Commonweal Housing in London gave me insight into the key role that comms plays in networking and advocating for structural change. Now at Restore, I’m so grateful to have found a role that incorporates so many of these interests!
When I’m not at Restore, I work as a Worship Assistant at Gas Street Church, which is also my local church. In my spare time, I love travelling, singing, drinking chai latte and swimming in the sea!
My first few weeks at Restore have been amazing! It’s been inspiring to meet with various leaders of charities and organisations within the sector. I particularly enjoyed my time at St Chad’s Sanctuary and Fatima House and seeing the instrumental role they play in dignifying the journey that refugees and asylum seekers go on in Birmingham. Moreover, I thoroughly enjoyed representing Restore at an Asylum Matters forum with MP Ayoub Khan at his office in Lozells. Finally, I’ve done several of my first initial meetings with newly referred service users with Jasmine, our Befriending Co-ordinator. These really gave me the essence of who Restore really are! Three weeks in, I am excited to learn so much more from the Restore team, befrienders and befriendees and am looking forward to meeting you all over time.
As our volunteers continue their amazing work with their befriendees, we are always looking to recruit new volunteer befrienders! Our next training day will be on Saturday 7th June from 9.45am-4pm. This will take place at St John’s Church, Harborne and will include a light lunch. Please do feel share and forward this flyer to anyone you know who might be interested!”
Jeremy, Restore’s Manager writes, “We’re delighted that Liv has joined the team and is settling in so quickly. Following on from Liv’s comments on campaigning, we encourage you to take action on the Government’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill that is currently progressing through Parliament. Why is it important for churches and Christians to get involved? We believe we are called to welcome the stranger and we are called to act justly. So, if that is not happening or not encouraged in legislation, then it is an opportunity to speak truth to power.”
On the positive side, this new legislation will repeal the Safety of Rwanda Act 2024 and parts of the Illegal Migration Act 2023. However, it misses the opportunity to improve the asylum process and create a just and fair system that works for all. The Independent Commission of the Integration of Refugees drew up 16 recommendations in 2024 which are currently being ignored. (please include this link https://refugeeintegrationuk.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Executive_Summary.pdf ).
There are many actions you could take:
Organisations can sign the Fair Begins Here Promise ( please incoude this link Hundreds of organisations join the Fair Begins Here Promise – Together With Refugees), and individauls can sign the Fight the Anti-Refugee laws pledge (please use this link Take Action – Fight for Asylum Rights)
Asylum Matters circulate a template letter to MPs Parliamentary Briefing in Development – Border Bill Presentation 30.1.25 .docx – Google Docs and a Parliamentary briefing (please use this link Parliamentary Briefing in Development – Border Bill Presentation 30.1.25 .docx – Google Docs) ahead of the 2nd reading of the Bill. If you amend the content slightly, you can still use to template letter to encourage your MP to fight for asylum rights in Parliament. If you would like to keep up with campaigning issues, please join the Restore mailing list by emailing Liv at Liv@restore-uk.org
And finally, like all charities Restore is constantly seeking new funding. Jasmine, our Befriending Co-ordinator, is taking on a fundraising challenge. In June, she will embark on ’25 miles of silence’ when she’ll be walking the Yorkshire Three Peaks in silence. If you know how gregarious Jasmine is, then you’ll also realise that it’s not the walking that will be the major challenge!! To read more and/or sponsor Jasmine please click here. (please add link 25 miles of silence! | Wonderful.org )