People placed in Napier camp, Folkestone have been living under significant pressure for a long period of time, they have had demonstrations to try and bring this to people’s attention, and this spilled over today.
This report is from Status Now4All signatory Care4Calais:
30 January 2021: Care4Calais@Care4Calais· 300 men have been left in Napier Barracks after yesterday’s fire. Many spent the night with their belongings destroyed and without electricity or heating. We are fundraising to help get emergency provisions into the camp – you can donate here:
29 January 2021: Care4Calais reports: · A fire has broken out and fire engines have been called to Napier Barracks in Folkestone following an upsetting afternoon for the residents. They each received an impersonal letter from Clearspings, the accommodation provider, saying they would be split into new ‘bubbles’ and would need to self isolate for a further ten days.
Following last weeks transfers, many had thought they had a chance of leaving the camp. The letter was a great disappointment.
With many people still suffering from Covid and little treatment having been received the news of internal moves caused a great deal of shock. For those not yet infected being told they would be locked inside and at risk for another ten days was devastating. They have been kept in this military setting too long. They say they feel like they are in prison. This week we talked to many residents who told us the lack of communication and confusion have contributed greatly to the fear and tension inside.
Living in constant fear of Covid is bad enough. A letter like this is another example of poor communication and lack of care from management who could have had the decency to talk to people about so serious a matter. It is not yet clear how the fire started but all the residents we have spoken to so far tell us they are simply terrified. Their future remains uncertain and today’s events create more distress and fear.
Care4Calais fundraiser: Care4Calais aims to raise £7,000.00 for Care4Calais, by taking part in fundraising for residents of Napier Barracks from the 9th January 2021 until the 9th January 2022.goldengiving.com
Other reports: Guardian: Fire breaks out at former army barracks housing asylum seekers in Kent
See previous posts on StatusNow4All website: https://statusnow4all.org/asylum-seekers-of-napier-barracks-speak-out/
and
https://statusnow4all.org/concerns-about-the-use-of-army-barracks/
and (image taken 1pm on January 30 2021: Priti Patel’s immediate inflamatory response to the suffering of people towards whom she has a duty of care:
