Refugee charity sees increase in users after riots

The Bora Shabaa charity provides support for refugees and asylum seekers in Hull

A refugees and asylum seekers organisation in Hull said it has seen a four-fold increase in people accessing its services following August's disorder.

Lauren Beadle, from the Bora Shabaa charity, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that people had "banded together" following the trouble.

Dozens of people have been jailed after violence flared in the city centre on 3 August following a demonstration involving anti-immigration protesters.

In the wake of the trouble, Ms Beadle said the charity ran emergency sessions where people could attend to light candles, express their thoughts and be with others from minority communities in a safe space.

“We offered a wellness walk about a week after the riots took place in Dalby Forest and we had better engagement for that walk than we’ve ever had, an increase of over 400%," she said.

“It surprised us, we thought the engagement would be less because of the riots, but actually people did band together and showed resilience, which was lovely to see.”

In the days following the disorder, the charity released a statement which read: “These actions do not reflect the city of Hull.

"Once known as the City of Culture, Hull prides itself on its wonderfully diverse community, known for its respect and kindness towards people from all walks of life.”

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