What can I do to help my friend who is in detention?
I have a friend who is in detention. Is there anything I could do to assist her? If anyone has any advice I could pass on to her I would be grateful to hear from you.
I have a friend who is in detention. Is there anything I could do to assist her? If anyone has any advice I could pass on to her I would be grateful to hear from you.
Detention
Anonymous — Thu, 01/28/2010 - 09:23Here is some information that may be of use to your friend:
Detainees can apply for bail at any stage in the detention process and detainees can make as many bail applications as they wish. For advice and guidance on how to do this please contact Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID) who run a telephone advice line and can also provide an information pack so that detainees can represent themselves at bail application hearings. Detainees may also wish to ask to see someone from their detention centre’s visitors group - if there is one – who may be able to provide them with appropriate advice and support.
Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID)
28 Commercial Street
London E1 6LS
T: 020 7247 3590
F: 020 7247 3550
E: enquiries@biduk.org
W: www.biduk.org
Refugee and Migrant Justice (contact details above) also have a telephone advice line specifically for detainees. T: 020 7780 3200 or free phone on: 0800 592 398.
Immigration Advisory Service (contact details above) call the IAS Detention Line on 020 7967 1299. Leave your name, place of detention and a contact telephone number and one of the IAS advisors will call you back.
Bail Circle - The Bail Circle is a network of volunteers willing to act as ‘sureties' to enable a detained asylum seeker to obtain bail. Please telephone the Bail Circle Administrator on: 020 7654 7241 or email: bail.circle@ctbi.org.uk
I went to visit two women in
Anonymous — Wed, 01/27/2010 - 13:31I went to visit two women in Yarl's Wood on Sunday. Is that where your friend is? The women I spoke to said they found being in Yarl's Wood very lonely so I think the best thing you can do is go and visit your friend. Visitors are allowed in for 3 hours at a time which is not great but long enough to catch up and offer some emotional support to your friend at this very difficult time. I know that the detainees there (in Yarl's Wood) are only given 70p a day to live off and they have to buy their own toileteries (shower gel etc) out of that so if you do visit your friend you could take her some shampoo or something. Another thing that any detainee would be grateful to receive is top up for their phone - this is so important for them to maintain some contact with the outside world and as I said, they do not have much available money. I guess you will have to find out what network your friend is on first.
I hope this helps.
Detention
Anonymous — Wed, 01/27/2010 - 15:47Yes she is at Yarl's Wood. Thank you so much for your advice, I will take her some things when I visit.
God Bless.