Giving people the chance to decide autonomously where and how they want to do their shopping.
Buying vouchers from migrants and asylum seekers can make a huge difference to their daily life.
Read more and get involved. It is very easy and uncomplicated. Use vouchers, give back autonomy and spread the idea.
In short, people who arrive in this country and apply for asylum are split (by the authorities) into two categories. Those whose cases are pending receive a small amount of money, on which they have to try to live; they’re the (relatively) lucky ones. The other group are those whose cases are rejected, but who remain in this country (there are a number of recognised reasons as to why people do this, e.g. there is a war and no rule of law, or perhaps their cases are under appeal). This group of people are given no money; instead each week they receive £35 worth of supermarket vouchers. They must live entirely from Tesco or Asda or Sainsbury or Morrison. Here in Newcastle, we started a scheme to help those people who got put into the second category and we are currently buying their Morrison vouchers in exchange for money, which they then can trade more freely.
Comparing the prices from a Morrison supermarket with food offered in neighbourhood food markets, one can easily see that the voucher system as introduced by the authorities is not only patronizing and questioning the “accountability” of people, it also forces people to spend the little money they are allowed in big-money and often over-priced supermarkets. (e.g. compare the price for a bunch of carrots or a tray of eggs in the Grainger market with the prices in a Morrison chain.)
You can help a lot simply by exchanging your money for a voucher. They are as easy to use as a pound note (at least when you got a secured status: asylum seekers often get harassed when using and on several incidences migrants have been asked silly questions for buying certain items).
Morrison is good for shopping petrol and some items. Get a voucher of your choice (£5-£100 on a weekly, monthly or occasional basis), no need to use them straight away, easy to handle. Buy vouchers, give autonomy, use them as you like and introduce the idea to your friends.
Want to help now? Contact:
voucherexchange@googlemail.com
