the new londoners winter 2013

The New Londoners 1

Ade Adepitan

Basketball playerand Paralympics

TV presenter

"Sport helps you tobecome more confidentabout who you are, and

it teaches you tosurprise yourself"

page 5

Winter 2013www.thenewlondoners.co.uk

Migrant Mums

People

Saint Mungo´s

Social

Wadjda

Film

My TurkishLondon

Community

Interview

Leigh Daynes,Doctors of the World

www.thenewlondoners.co.uk

Social Media brings power

to the Turkish people?

Continued on page 3 >>

Social media has played animportant role in reversing agovernment decision in Turkey. Dueto the protests organized via socialmedia, the Turkish government hasscrapped plans to transform anIstanbul square into a shopping mall.

On 1 June this year, a blog begancirculating around social networkingsites such as Facebook and Twitter.Called 'What Is Happening InIstanbul?' , it gave an account ofTurkish police trying to forcefullydisperse a growing group of

protesters who had gathered overthe past week in the city's TaksimSquare.The blog post was addressed 'To

my friends who live outside ofTurkey' and went on to ask forsupport because 'most of the media

by Gary Buswell

Picture by Garry Knight

The New Londoners2

Dear Readers,

Is the tide turning in London on the negative rhetoric around immigration? Are leaders in Londongetting concerned that more restrictions on immigration to the capital city wil l have a detrimentalimpact on businesses? It would seem so if recent statements from key policymakers are to bebelieved. At an event in Westminster, attended by the New Londoners, Mark Boleat from theCorporation of London, Professor Tony Travers from the London School of Economics and KitMalthouse, Deputy Mayor of London, were all positive about the contribution that migrants make tothe London economy and why it is one of the leading global cities. Both Mark Boleat and ProfessorTravers published articles recently in the Evening Standard to support this view. I t seems that thereare concerns in “The City” that further restrictions on immigration wil l harm the capital.

The New Londoners continues to focus on different communities that make up this vibrant, diversecity and, in this issue, we focus on the Turkish community and how it contributes to al l aspects of l ifein London, including our cuisine. London is now one of the top culinary cities in the world which is atestament to the influences of many different cultures and cuisines and a flourishing tourism andvisitor hub.

Do you have a great story about how you, or someone you know, came to London and made asuccess of l ife here? Let us know and join us on Facebook and Twitter.

Ros LucasMRC Executive Director

Follow us and join

in debate on:

@newlondoners

The New Londoners

Editor-in-Chief:

Ros Lucas

Editorial Team:

Sara Wickert

Sylvia Velasquez

Vivienne Francis

Dimple Patel

Carol ine Hyland

Donna Acott

Emily Churchil l Zaraa

Production & Communications:

Sylvia Velasquez

Creative Director & layout:

Pablo Monteagudo

Contributors:

Helena Argyle

Gary Buswell

N. N. Dee

Tania Farias

Georgie Knaggs

Gianna Mula

Michela Sechi

Sara Wickert

Photographers:

Pablo Monteagudo

Marina Uzcategui

I lustrators:

Ian Drummond

Comic Strip:

Rhiannon Hughes

Poetry:

Hasani Hasani

Produced by:

Migrants Resource Centre

24 Churton Street

London SW1 V 2LP

02078342505

www.migrantsresourcecentre.org.uk

[email protected]

With thanks to all the volunteer

journalists and contributors who took

part in the production of the magazine

www.thenewlondoners.co.uk

Letter fromEditor-in-Chief

Supported by:

The New Londoners 3

Social Media brings power

to the Turkish people?sources are shut down by thegovernment and word of mouthand the internet are the onlyways left for us to explainourselves' . The post contained adisturbing account of policeforces using tear gas and watercannons and driving vehiclesinto crowds, killing at least threepeople.The protesters had gathered to

prevent the Square's Gezi Parkfrom being demolished to makeway for a shopping mall, and inthe wake of news spreading viasocial media, reports started toappear internationally innewspapers and on TV.

However, it soon becameapparent that this was no smallsingle-issue protest. The GeziPark demonstrations triggered awave of nationwide protestsacross the summer with a muchwider focus. In addition toresponding to police heavy-handedness in the initialprotests, people took to thestreets to campaign againstincreasing governmentauthoritarianism and declininglife standards. People from bothends of the political spectrumwere involved, with 70% of thoseasked having no strong politicalaffiliation.Oktay Cinlopat, a youth

development worker withLondon-based Day-Mer Turkishand Kurdish Community Centre,was part of a delegation of tradeunionists that visited Turkey inJune to observe the situation.

The Gezi Parkdemonstrations

triggered a waveof nationwide

protests acrossthe summerwith a muchwider focus

>> Continued from page 1

'My Only Gun Is My Marauder Heart',picture by Ozan Dikerler

Continued overleaf >>

The New Londoners4

messages via Facebook andTwitter. Within 12 hours overtwo million tweets had been sentabout the situation in TaksimSquare, echoing the speed atwhich social media was utilisedregarding Tunisia 2010 and Egypt2011.One reason for this is that

people feel they can't trustmainstream media, which isoften seen as a tool of the state.'Mainstream media in Turkeycensored any coverage of unrest' ,said Mr Cinlopat. 'As for theinternational media, reportswere mainly concerned with theGezi Park issue' . Social mediahas provided an effective andvaluable alternative. As themusician and veteran activistJello Biafra once remarked,'Don't hate the media, becomethe media' .These resources have helped

strengthen and create globalcommunities of activists and

concerned citizens, which is ofvital importance to migrantcommunities in global cities likeLondon who now maybe feel alittle less helpless when suchthings happen in theirhomelands. They can spreadmessages globally and organisesupport events easier locally.Following the Turkish protests, aTaksim Solidarity Campaign wasformed in London which hasorganised many rallies and threebig protests that have attractedbetween 1,000 and 5,000 people.Aware of the international as

well as national protests andperhaps fearing an Arab Spring-style conclusion, the Turkishgovernment has alreadyscrapped plans to transformGezi Park. As Mr Cinlopat says,'This is a small step but it's animportant one' .With pressure continuing for

further reforms, it may well yetbe the first ofmany.

Don't hate themedia, Become

the media

Jello Biafra

'Over the last decade under theAKP government, many peoplehave seen their quality of lifereduced or had rights takenaway. Government is interferingin many areas, including banningalcohol and restricting women'srights' , he said. 'As we observed,there has been a history ofevents that have accumulated' .Taking this into account,

similarities can be seen betweenthe situation in Turkey and thosein the countries involved in theArab Spring events of 2011. Withmany of those countries, too,there was an event that acted asa tipping point that triggeredgeneral unrest about governmentauthoritarianism, lack of rightsand use of excessive state force.A greater similarity, though,

has been the role played by socialmedia channels as a way ofrelaying information andgathering support. Both the blogpost and an Amnesty newsreport published the same daycalled for people to spread

>> Continues from page 3

The New Londoners 5

The Paralympian andmedia professional

whose personality andperseverance havemelted prejudice

around the world andraised awareness of

the continuing problemof polio in Africa

Ade Adepitan:

From shoppingtrolley to theworld stage

by Georgie Knaggs

PicturebyDFID


The New Londoners6

I think I've donemore things with

my disability thanmost able�bodied

people woulddream of doing

Forty years ago, on March 27 1973, a littleboy called Adedoyin Adepitan was born inLagos University teaching hospital inNigeria. His parents didn’t know it then, butPolio was about to change the course of hislife forever.By the time Ade was three, the disease had

infected his young body and turned hisworld upside-down. The virus left himunable to use his left leg and forced him andhis parents to move to England in search oftreatment and a better life for their disabledchild.

Iron calipers (leg braces) were a start, butthey could only do so much for a boy on thehunt for excitement. Shopping trolleys and acouple of mates to push him around spedthings up a little. The trick caught theattention of Owen McGhee and Kay Owen,two physiotherapists with a passion fordisability sport. They took twelve-year-oldAde to Stoke Mandeville to show himwheelchair basketball, and he was instantlyhooked. Ditching his calipers for awheelchair, basketball became his life,offering the skills, speed, adrenalin and

Picture by Nick Webb

The New Londoners 7

confidence he had been searching for.Ade went on to become a professional

wheelchair basketball player and, fifteenyears after his trip to Stoke Mandeville, hewas selected for the British men’swheelchair basketball team in the 2000Paralympics in Sydney. It was the start offive years of intense internationalcompetition for him and the team, atEuropean, World Championship andParalympic level.By 2006 Ade had been capped 90 times

and had won fistfuls of medals includingbronze at the 2004 Paralympics in Athensand gold from the 2005 Paralympic WorldCup in Manchester. But he was also headinginto his mid-thirties and in need of a newcareer.Ade, who was awarded an MBE in 2005 for

services to disability sport, decided to retireand focus on his work in media andbroadcasting. Thanks to his years as anambassador for London’s Olympic andParalympic bid, alongside Tanni Grey-Thompson and others, Ade was alreadywell-known in the media. He developed thiswork further and in 2012 topped it off byjoining Clare Balding to present Channel 4’sParalympics. The coverage went on to earnChannel 4 a Bafta in May this year.Since the Olympics, Ade has turned his

attention to less developed countries, wherepeople with disabilities face enormousbarriers.Ade has visited Uganda to meet disabled

people there. Travelling to Mexico forChannel 4’s Unreported World, he faced hisown preconceptions about mental illnesswhen he met a collective of people withpsychiatric disabilities fighting for theirrights. Most poignantly perhaps he has beenback to Nigeria, the land of his birth, to raiseawareness of the needless suffering causedby polio and to touch the lives that couldeasily have been his.The reports make difficult viewing, but

Ade’s engaging personality offers a bridgethat lets the viewer in. The warmth in hisvoice, ease in front of a camera andhumour, which is born from his ownexperiences, spark the reactions that touchso many with hope.In a recent interview, Ade Adepitan was

asked what ambitions he had. His reply wasthat he wanted see the day when thecomplete eradication of polio wasannounced to the world.Polio clearly has a problem. The young boy

it infected in Lagos, now a BritishParalympic medallist and televisionpresenter, has an old score to settle, and hedoesn’t like to lose.

PicturebyNickWebb

The New Londoners8

Leigh Daynes, Executive Director, Doctorsof the World UK shares with N. N. Dee hisperspective on the impact that proposedchanges to the NHS will have on migrants.Leigh’s previous posts include Director ofAdvocacy, Campaigns and Communicationsfor Plan UK and Head of Corporate ExternalAffairs for the British Red Cross.

1.What is Doctors of the World and what isits role?

Doctors of the World UK is part of theglobal Médecins du Monde network, whichdelivers over 300 projects in more than 70countries through 3,000 volunteers.

We run a clinic and advocacy programmein east London that provides medical care,information and practical support to

vulnerable people, helping them accesshealthcare.

The clinic is staffed by volunteer doctors,nurses and support workers who provideinformation and basic short-term healthcareto excluded people across the UK, such asvulnerable migrants, sex workers and peoplewith no fixed address.

We believe that every person has the rightto medical care, and we advocate for thosefacing barriers to receive it.

2.What is your organisation’s stance on theUK Government’s consultation proposals torestrict access to health care for peoplefrom outside the European Economic Areaand which of these restrictions give mostcause for concern?

The Government is consulting on proposalsto remove access to NHS services for visitorsand migrants and is seeking to ensure thatanyone who is not eligible for free treatmentis charged for the care they receive.

Good public health benefits us all and weat Doctors of the World believe limitingaccess to primary care for visitors andmigrants present in the UK would bedamaging for wider public health and woulddrive up costs in secondary and emergencycare.

3.What will be the effect of theserestrictions on potential patients?

Individuals denied access to primary carewill eventually present to emergency healthservices with advanced illnesses which are

Leigh Daynesby N. N. Dee

In conversation with Leigh Daynes, Doctors ofthe World UK, on migrants’ access to health

PicturescourtesyofDoctorsofTheWorld

The New Londoners 9

more complicated and take longer, and costmuch more to treat. Emergency services arealready under considerable strain and mustbe provided to everyone. And the longersomeone has an untreated infection, thegreater the likelihood that they mayunwittingly pass it to others.

Altogether, these proposals might affect upto 1 million people in England, even thoughthe number of people for whom the NHSbears an unrecoverable cost is actuallyrelatively small.

In order to avoid charges of discrimination,everyone in England seeking any free servicefrom NHS schemes will have to proveeligibility, though in reality only a few ofthese people will be ineligible. However, thisneed to prove eligibility will likely turn atleast some people away. It will also increasebureaucracy and extend waiting times fortreatment. Any new bureaucracy is likely tobe costly to the NHS; as is the impact ofpeople presenting later with harder to treatconditions at A&E Departments because they

have encountered barriers to getting a GP.

4.Responding to publication of theconsultation, you said: ‘Discriminatingbetween patients goes against medicalethics and violates the Oath doctors take.’How so?

The Hippocratic Oath basically says thatdoctors should act in the best interests oftheir patients, and denying healthcare isobviously not in a patient’s best interests.Doctors should not be forced to act asimmigration officials; their first duty is to allof their patients, without discrimination andirrespective of residence status. Trustbetween doctor and patient is crucial for theeffective delivery of health services.

5.What impact will such consequenceshave on society in general?

Exclusion and poverty cause ill health.Inequalities in access to healthcare haveserious implications for vulnerablepopulations as well as for society morebroadly.

While new migrants to England aretypically young and healthy, they often facedifficult economic circumstances and labourconditions in the UK which put them at riskof poor health. Investing in public health foreveryone present in England will supportyoung migrants to be economicallyproductive while they are here. The MarmotReview reported that health inequalities maycost the NHS more than £5.5 billion per year,not including the broader economic costs tosociety.

See “Access to healthcare inEurope in times of crisis and

rising xenophobia” (Doctors of theWorld International Network,

2013) – the full report including allUK statistics can be downloadedat www.mdm-international.org

Leigh Daynesa chat with

Doctors shouldnot be forced to act

as immigrationofficials

The New Londoners10

MumsMigrant

Zainab was

bornin the Congo

(DRC)but

grewup in Belgiu

m and Mali.She met h

er

husband w

hilstworki

ng asa go-g

o dancer in

Belgium and t

hen went tr

avelling wi

th himto

London, Singa

poreand

hisnative

New

Zealand. T

hey then r

eturned to

London. No

w

that their s

econddaugh

ter isin sch

ool, she’s

starting a

fashion bus

inessimpor

ting African

designs an

d fabrics to

London.

Zainab on the st

eps, 2012, D

igital35mm

Becoming a mother is a very special moment within a woman’s life. Most ofthe time family and friends gather together to enjoy this event and everybodyfocuses on the new born. But what about the mother? What does it mean for awoman to become a mother? What happens when a woman becomes amother abroad? Furthermore, what does it mean to be a mother far away fromeverything that is familiar? In brief, what does it mean to be a migrant mum?Exploring these and other questions, a year and a half ago the photographer

Ryoko Uyama and the writer Yuka Igarashi started a project called “MigrantMums” – a project inspired by the American photographer, Dorothea Lange’sphotograph “Migrant Mother”, taken in 1936.“Migrant Mums” aims to portray and tell the stories of women from very

different backgrounds, ages, nationalities and experiences, but what they allhave in common is the fact that they are foreigners, who were not born inBritain and have parents with very different outlooks. As Uyama states:"We are not looking for amazing stories; on the contrary, we are just looking

for normal mums with a story to tell." She continues:"We wanted to focus more on the mum rather than on the child because

when you become a mum, someone calls you “mum” and others call you byyour real name, so you have two identities. Furthermore, if you are a foreigneryou already have two identities."Up until now, they have only interviewed and photographed 14 women: “It’s

really difficult to find mums [for the project] . We approached 15 organisationsbut even then it has been very difficult. There are hundreds, thousands ofmums out there with amazing stories, but we have realized how much thesemums and their stories are hidden. It has been challenging to find subjectsand to connect with them”, claims Uyama.

At the moment the creators of “Migrant Mums” are consideringgetting a portion of their photos and stories published. If you are

interested in following the progress of this project or you would like toread some articles related to migration you can visit

http://migrantmumlondon.tumblr.com/

AllpicturesbyRyokoUyama

The New Londoners 11

MumsMigrant

byTaniaFarias


The New Londoners12

Wafwa was born and raised in Cairo.

She was engaged to a man in the city

but broke it off when

he wantedher to

wear a niqab (a veil th

at covers her face)

when she was inpublic. Wafwa beg

an

an e-mail correspondence with an

Egyptian man living a

nd workingin the

UK. Theymet in Egypt, ma

rried and

moved to London. Jen

nah, her daughter,

is eighteenmonths old

.

Wafwa at the jetty,2012, Digit

al 35mm

There are hundreds,thousands of mums

out there withamazing stories

Sri grew up near Bali. She worked as ahousekeeper and a nanny for the Bruneiroyal family. When one of the sultan’ssons came to study in the UK, she wassent with him. Sri still lives in Londonand is currently supporting her childrenthrough university in Jakarta.

Sri at the station, 2013, Digital 35mm

Tiija comes from Espoo, Finland, but

her wanderlust has taken her to Nepal,

Portugal, and Uganda (where she

adopted an orphaned ten-year-old girl) .

She is now expecting a child with her

Ghanaian-Swedishpartner.

Tiija expecting, 2012, Digital 35mm


Wafwa was born and raised in Cairo.

She was engaged to a man in the city

but broke it off when

he wantedher to

wear a niqab (a veil th

at covers her face)

when she was inpublic. Wafwa beg

an

an e-mail correspondence with an

Egyptian man living a

nd workingin the

UK. Theymet in Egypt, ma

rried and

moved to London. Jen

nah, her daughter,

is eighteenmonths old

.

Wafwa at the jetty,2012, Digit

al 35mm

There are hundreds,thousands of mums

out there withamazing stories

Myth: Mass immigration has harmed UK, was voters’claim. According to a major survey commissioned by LordAshcroft, the former Conservative party deputy chairman,“A SIGNIFICANT majority of people believe immigration hasdone Britain more harm than good”.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/426249/Mass-immigration-has-harmed-UK-say-voters

Fact: The International Migration Outlook 2013 reportpublished by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation &Development at the end of May of this year showed thatimmigration makes a positive contribution to the publicfinances of many countries, including the UK. According tothe report, ‘Immigrants contribute to through taxes andsocial security contributions. The also benefit from publicservices, social benefits and pensions.” Factoring all of thisin, the report concludes that immigrants in the UK make anet contribution of 0.46% of GDP.

http://www.oecd.org/els/mig/imo2013.htm

Myth: New Family Migration Rules are designed to avoidspouses or partners coming to the UK becoming a burdenon the taxpayer.

Fact: According to the analysis of the Fiscal Implications ofNew Family Migration Rules published recently by MiddlesexUniversity “Government’s own data suggests that non-EEApartners, who have the right to work in the UK but not claimmost benefits, were never a burden on the welfare state.Evidence in fact suggests that, by preventing up to 17,800migrant partners from coming to the UK every year, the newincome requirement may be costing the public purse ratherthan saving it money”.

http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/files/news/Family_migration_costs_briefing-9-7-2013.pdf

Myth: “Many of the Syrian immigrants attempting to comehere could have gone to other, closer countries. But inBritain the lure of free health care, housing and endlessbenefits means that our country is always the first choice”Leo McKinstry, columnist.

http://www.express.co.uk/comment/expresscomment/434938/Immigration-Bill-sends-a-clear-message-to-the-world

Fact: According to the International Migration Institute ofOxford University in his research Towards a New Agenda forInternational Migration “Although migration is commonlyseen as the product of poverty and oppression, it is not thepoorest who tend to migrate most; the countries with thehighest rates of out-migration are typically upper-lower andlower middle income countries rather than the lowestincome countries”.

http://www.imi.ox.ac.uk/projects/pdfs/a4-imi-research-agenda.pdf

mythfact

The New Londoners14

Started in the late sixties in Battersea as ahouse run by a few volunteers offering foodand shelter for a handful of rough sleepers,St Mungo’s is now a well-established charityable to help thousands of homeless peopleevery year.According to Judith Higgin, from the

charity, those seeking refuge arrive with amultitude of complex problems. Most arelonely, often suffering from physical ormental health problems. Drug and alcoholabuse is common, and many have alsoexperienced childhood traumas. St Mungo’sbroad aim is to offer hostel places, semiindependent and supported housing astemporary accommodation as a way ofhelping the clients to start improving theirlives so they can eventually becomeindependent.Forty-year-old Thomas* is just one of many

eastern European migrants who have beenforced to turn to St. Mungo’s for help afterfalling on hard times in the UK. In fluentEnglish, he reflects on the complexity of histroubled life that began in his home country,the Czech Republic. A picture emerges frommemories of despair and degradation. Heand his sisters were terrorised by theiralcoholic, aggressive mother and were forcedto witness unspeakable acts, as Thomas’mother had sex with his stepfather in frontof the children. Eventually rejected by hisfamily, Thomas was left to fend for himselfand spent most of his teenage years in care.When he was 18, he became homeless. Itwas while he was living in a park that hisdrug addition took hold. “When drugs enteryour life, you lose your interest for anythingelse,” he now reflects.

Although he tried many times to have anormal life, coming to the UK to take upoffers of employment, drugs dominated hislife for more than 30 years. “The problemwas that I only met people related to drugs.It is hard to change habits and your lifewhen you are surrounded by a negativeenvironment,” he says. Thomas was lockedinto blaming his troubled adulthood on histraumatic childhood. This feeling wascompounded by the death of his youngest

sister at the hands of her violent husband –again he believed the blame was rooted intheir upbringing.After a period in prison, Thomas was

introduced to St Mungo’s. Due to thecomplex needs of service users like Thomas,the charity runs combined health, housingand skills projects. A core element of theirapproach is education and training.According to the charity, a lack ofeducational opportunities is a significantcause of being in the homelessness trap.

Training programmes are fundamental forhelping the homeless to build up self-esteemand plan for a new future.Graham Burton, Skills and Employment

team manager at the charity, says that manyclients are keen to work and start a betterlife but do not have a realistic or pragmaticunderstanding of society. For instance, somedo not know that after finding a job, it isnecessary to open a bank account, whichinvolves having identification documentsand an address. Others get confused by thecomplexity of the benefits system, so do notrealise they are eligible for support with theirrent. Setbacks like these can help reinforcethe negative view that nothing will change intheir lives. St Mungo’s helps prepare theresidents for the challenges they will face inthe real world. They aim to help developexisting skills and identify new ones, alsoinsisting on the importance of goodnetworking and relationships, especially formale clients.With the help of St Mungo’s, Thomas

successfully went through rehab, and nowlives in a positive environment. He wouldlike to use his life experience and naturalaptitude for languages to work as avolunteer. With gratitude to the charity, hesays St Mungo’s is the first environmentwhere he was properly listened to, especiallynow that he has to confront a new battle: alymphoma.“London is not a place, but a great

opportunity. Willpower is the key that canopen any door,” says Thomas.

*This name has been changed in order to protectthe interviewee’s privacy

St Mungo's helpsprepare the residents

for the challengesthey will face in the

real world

After living through drugaddiction, homelessness andprison, Thomas was losinghope. But when he walked

through the doors of StMungo’s, he found peoplewho truly wanted to listen

St Mungo'sShaping

the future

by Michela Sechi

Picture by Sara Bil jana

Voluntary Projectsin London


“If I could choose three words which best describe my life overthe last decade, I would probably say: visa, speaking andadaptability.When I gained my degree in mechanical engineering in Istanbul,

the economic crisis had already consumed my country. Afterspending months searching for a job unsuccessfully, I decided tomove to the UK. I was a bit scared about coming to the UKbecause it was my first time going abroad. I did not know what toexpect.In 2001 I arrived to stay with a friend in Reading. My student

visa only allowed me to work part time. I enrolled on an ESOLcourse, but that was not enough. I was very unconfident inlearning the language. It was a struggle as I was 25 years old andnot young enough to learn a language easily. I wanted to learn tospeak English proficiently - I was able only to say: “Hello, myname is… I’m from...” I needed to find other places where I couldsocialise without speaking Turkish and at thelanguage course I was unable to speak to nativespeakers as the course was for internationalstudents. The first opportunity came up with a salsacourse. My English quickly improved as well as mycommunication skills and confidence.A few years after coming to the UK, I discovered a

special agreement through which the EuropeanUnion was giving people the opportunity to developa business project. As a result, I ran my firstbusiness, selling textiles between the UK andTurkey. The opportunity to establish myself intobusiness was exciting. Then I got used to the life inthe UK, and stayed. It was not all straight forward - Ihad to deal with the Home Office’s bureaucracyseveral times before becoming a British citizen in2009. The hardest one was in 2005 when I wanted toobtain an emergency visa to see my ill father beforehe passed away.A couple of years after starting the textile

business, I felt there was a more viable businessidea – selling properties in Turkey rather thanselling textiles. It was a hard job because thisbusiness visa neither allowed me to haveemployees, nor to work as an employee. I wasforced to learn new skills, including managing mycompany’s website. I found this aroused mycuriosity and interest in the software field, whichsoon became a passion. I trained myself to masterthis new skill.With the help of a friend, I was introduced to

software companies, first of all Vyre in 2010 andthen to Rightmove, an online property company,where I have worked since 2011. I work as asoftware test analyst. My job is to test software andensure it meets a certain level of quality. My officialjob title is Quality Assurance Analyst.I consider my job as a kind of metaphor of life: to

analyze a system-situation, find the problem, inorder to make the system work again. It’s quite a bitchallenging like being a Rotarian. RotaryInternational (also known as the Rotary Club) is aninternational service organization whose statedpurpose is to bring together business andprofessional leaders in order to providehumanitarian services, encourage high ethicalstandards in all vocations, and help build goodwilland peace in the world.The first Rotarian I met was while I was a student

in Istanbul. He inspired me tremendously. The Rotary Club hasalso been my support in London. As a social club, it has helpedme to meet many wise people. In the club, diversity is consideredmore than a resource. It’s the core of Rotary’s values. I havegained a lot from Rotary such as: friendship (making a lot offriends in London and abroad); developing my leadership skills;and developing my public speaking skills. Through the Rotary Ihave also been involved in community activities. In 2012, I wasappointed the president of the Rotary Club of Westminster Eastbased in the Charing Cross Hotel. I held this position for a year.Sometimes I feel like going back to Turkey and trying to set up

my life there. But I do not see this happening any time soon. Eventhough I have had difficulties, I am now pleased about my job andlife in the UK. My advice to new migrants? Learn English, andlearn English well! Language is the key you can use to opendoors.”

Yurdakul Celebi is 37�year�old software test analystfrom Istanbul. He came to the UK in 2001 knowing onlya handful of people, unable to speak English fluentlyand with a visa that only allowed him to work part�time. Twelve years on he has a successful career, arewarding social life and has become the president of aWestminster�based Rotary Club.

A Day in the Life

Yurdakul Celebi

by Michela Sechi

© Picture by Alexandru Calca

The New Londoners16

My Turkish LondonThe New Londoners16

There are an estimated 500,000 Turkish immigrants living in England today, with the vast majority settled in London. Themigration of Turkish people to London does not only span recent decades, but dates back hundreds of years; shaping our culture,philosophy and politics alike.Historically, England has seen Turks crossing the border since as early as the 16th century. Records show that Henry VIII had

Turkish mercenary troops in his foreign heavy army and by the mid-17th century there were hundreds of Turkish migrants living inthe United Kingdom, most of whom were freed slaves from Spanish ships during the conflict between England and Spain. Followingtheir release, many chose to settle in England and convert to Christianity, whilst others set up businesses dealing with Englishmerchants in North Africa.London’s first Turkish coffee house was opened by a Greek merchant named Pasqua Rose. He had teamed up with The Levant

Company, which was an English company set up in 1581 to regulate trade with Turkey. The popularity of the Turkish Coffee Houseventure soon spread, as 80 more establishments opened in London within the decade. Nowadays, the Turkish influence on British

Not only doner kebabs: the long contribution of Turks to life in the UK

by Helena Argyle


My Turkish LondonThe New Londoners 17

culture is as strong as it was when the first coffee shops sprung up hundreds of years ago.In more recent decades, the first significant wave of Turkish immigrants was during the 1970s, when there was an influx of

predominantly young, educated Turkish men who were willing to travel to improve their English and meet the demand for workerswithin the UK textiles industry. By 1987, out of the 2000 textile workshops in London, 1500 were owned or controlled by Turkishspeaking immigrants. During this time, Turkish kebab shops began to pop up all over London and beyond, with the shish and donerkebab becoming a staple of every hungry man’s diet - especially after a few beverages.As well as economic migration, there were also political reasons for Turks to settle in the United Kingdom. The 1970s was marred

by political tension back in Turkey, where right and left wing ideological clashes escalated into unprecedented violence, resulting ina military coup in 1980. During this time, many left wing and liberal Turkish nationals fled their country, seeking political asylum inEngland.Today, we have second and third generation Turks who have settled into the colder, windier climate of the British Isles. Through

strong family ties, London has become home for many Turks, in areas including Stoke Newington, Hackney and Islington to theNorth of the river, and Croydon, Lewisham and Southwark to the South. Whether it’s through the presence of the many Turkishrestaurants and shops, or the beautiful mosques, the Turkish influence on London is plain to see.

Not only doner kebabs: the long contribution of Turks to life in the UK

Pictures by Claude Attard Bezzina

The New Londoners18

Turkish CultureTradition

Turkish tradition has evolved in aland that joins the European westwith the Arabic east and has over theyears spread through migration toeven London itself, reinventing itselfalong the way. From dance to food tothe festivals they celebrate; Turkishculture is alive.The international art of belly

dancing, or Oryantal Tansi, is a well-known traditional dance popular inTurkey. Finger cymbals or zils are seenas a gauge of quality in the dance. YetTurkey also has a wide range of folkdances that change regionally andevoke a sense of story or emotion.They are usually performed atweddings and other social events. Baris a line dance specific to EasternTurkey performed by groups of maleand female dancers. Commerciallyspeaking though belly dancing is apopular international danceperformed in Turkish restaurants andtaught in many classes acrossLondon.There are plenty of Turkish

restaurants around London and theworld. Arguably the most popular ofTurkish culinary influences is thekebab although many other disheshave sprung from this land rich with

gastronomical experience. Turkishmezze combines bite size piecessimilar to Spanish tapas or Greekmezze and shares names andinfluences with these cuisines. Typicalof Turkish mezze is Borek; thin layersof dough layered with cheese, meatand vegetables; dolma (stuffed vineleaves), hummus and kofte. For thosewith a sweet tooth there is baklava;layers of filo pastry with chopped finenuts and honey. Nutcase in ShepherdsBush houses some of the best MiddleEastern treats including baklava.More than 1000 Turkish festivals are

held in Turkey every year spanningfrom film and dance to religiousfestivals. Since 1993 the LondonTurkish Film Festival, offersLondoners the chance to appreciateTurkish film over two weeks inFebruary or March. For the manyTurkish Muslims an important festivalthat takes place every year at the endof Ramadan is Eid al-Fitr or the“festival of the breaking of the fast” orRamazan Bayrami. The festivalincludes religious mosque music andprayer. Eid al-Fitr was held onThursday 8th August this year and isannually celebrated in London inTrafalgar Square.

by Helena Argyle

Picture by Quinn Dombrowski

PicturebyLaleCizmeci


Imam Bayildi(Stuffed Aubergines In Olive Oil)

Here comes one of the most famous olive oil dishes in Turkish cuisine: Imam Bayildi, literally means “the Muslim cleric fainted”.There is a dozen of stories surrounding the name of this meze, some claim that the imam in the tale fainted because he was soovercome with the flavor of this dish, some other accounts focus on the cost of the ingredients. Imam bayildi has also been aninspiration to the confit byaldi dish in modern French cuisine.

Nowadays people have no time to cook such classic dishes and follow the original recipes religiously. Imam bayildi would still tastegood even if you skip adding pine nuts or nutmeg, but IMHO we should pay our respects to the cooks of the Ottoman palace bysticking to the original recipe as much as we could, trust me, there is a reason for every ingredient to be there in the recipe. I think,cooking is about great attention to detail, picking the finest ingredients and treating them the way they deserve to be treated.

But then again, I am always up for some improvement. For instance, the original recipe of the “imam bayildi” calls for deep fryingthe aubergines in olive oil prior to stuffing. As much as I love fried imam bayildi, some people find it a bit too rich and avoid the dishcompletely. Again, I think the main mistake is using sunflower oil or any other oil for that matter to fry the eggplant. Olive oil is amust and so is high heat. Apart from that, you can still skip the frying and make imam bayildi by pre-cooking the aubergines in theoven sprayed on with some olive oil.

Ingredients

• 7-8 small eggplants, try to pick the freshest ones

without any seeds.

• 1 cup of virgin olive oil.

• 3 medium size onions chopped finely

• A handful of pine nuts

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• 3 medium size tomatoes, peeled and chopped

• 2 tablespoon of lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest

• 2-3 teaspoons of sugar

• 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley leaves

• 1/4 cup of water

• 1 teaspoon of salt (reduce or increase to your taste)

• A pinch of black pepper

• A pinch of grated nutmeg

Imam Bayildi Preparation

• Peel the aubergines, remove the green bits around the stems but leave the hard stalk on top, just like you see in the picture, thishelps hold them intact through the whole process. Make a deep lengthwise slit along each eggplant, 1 inch apart from both the topand the bottom. Make the slit on the inside of the curve if the eggplants are curved. Soak them into salted water for about 15minutes and then rinse, drain and squeeze to remove any excess water. Dry with paper towels. Heat some olive oil on high heat in awide skillet and fry the aubergines on both sides until soft. Remove from the skillet and place them into a baking tray, slit sides ontop. Sprinkle with grated nutmeg, making sure that the flesh of the eggplants comes into contact with the glorious flavor of nutmeg.

• Put onions and pine nuts into a deep pan and sauté with about a tablespoon of olive oil at medium low heat until they becomereally soft and pinkish yellow in color. Add tomatoes, water and garlic, increase the heat and let the tomatoes cook off until you cansee the oil separating, that is when it loses all its water and starts to caramelize. Now season to taste with salt, black pepper andlemon zest. Remove from the heat, add in the parsley and the lemon juice. Fill up the aubergines with this sauce.

• Finally place it in the 180ºC oven for about 40 minutes. Check at 30 minutes to make sure the tops are not too brown. And that’s it!Remove from the oven, cover and let it rest on the kitchen counter overnight. Serve the next day, garnished with some parsley leaves.

Source: http://ottomancuisine.com

Picture by Joan Nova

The New Londoners20

Book review

Honour (by Elif Shafak, 2012)

A large charcoal grill takes centre stage at this traditionalTurkish BBQ restaurant on Ladbroke Grove. 'Mangal' is Turkishfor barbecue and the smoking grill set behind glass combinedwith traditional Turkish decor - carpets and colourful mosaiclamps - certainly sets the scene. Customers can choose fromfresh meat, vegetable or fish dishes displayed in a large glassfridge or the doner kebabs featured at the front of therestaurant.Aubergine Salata, an olive oil dish that melts in your mouth is

a tasty starter or side dish. Cacik, a yoghurt dip with cucumber,mint, garlic and a hint of salt had just the right balance offlavours. And while the falafel were not cooked fresh to order,losing them points on texture, the spicing, with a touch of chilli,was spot on.For mains, Yoghurtlu Lamb Beyti, a richly flavoured dish, was

made with delicately spiced ground lamb barbecued on the grill,served with a fresh tomato sauce and topped with thickyoghurt. Flavourful and juicy Chicken Doner was accompaniedby fresh red cabbage, carrot and rocket salad, a welcome changefrom the standard lifeless garnish served at many otherrestaurants.Baklava and Turkish apple tea made for a tasty finish to an

enjoyable meal. With all the tables full even on a Sundayevening, it is pretty clear that Fez Mangal is a popular favouriteamongst local residents.

104 Ladbroke Grove - London W11 1PYTransport Ladbroke Grove - tubeTelephone 020 7229 3010Opening time from 12:00 am to 11:30 pmwww.fezmangal.com

As its name implies, “Honour” is a bookwhere the author explores the meaning ofthis word that has received so much mediaattention in the UK during the lastdecade. In the name of honour - somany crimes have been committed.To defend the reputation of a family- violent crimes are often committedand include such actions as: acidattacks, abductions, mutilations,beatings and even murder. Thefigures speak for themselves: in 2010alone, almost 3000 honour attackswere recorded by the police inEngland.“Honour” is the eighth novel of the

much acclaimed Turkish novelist ElifShafak and was first published in2012. In this novel Shafak takes usinto the centre of the Kurdishcommunity; exploring a variety ofsubjects such as: pain, love, loyalty,superstitions and migration.Through the Toprak family story, we areable to observe the traditions, beliefs, fearsand perceptions of a community;

confronted and challenged by completelydifferent cultures that do not share theirway of understanding the world.

The narrative switches between a villagenear the Euphrates in Turkey, the mythiccity of Istanbul and then to London and

time also jumps and spans a period oftime from the 1960’s to the end 1970’s andbeginning of 1990’s.

In the 1970’s, Pembe and AdemToprik along with their childrenIskender and Esma arrive in Londonlooking for a better life. However,mistakes from their past come backto haunt them and the fate of everymember of the Toprak family,including Yunus the youngest son; istransformed by a terrifying anddisturbing event, an honour crime.Narrated by Pemba’s daughter

Esma, “Honour” is a compellingnovel that goes deep inside acommunity with an evocativestorytelling that catches you fromthe first line: “My mother diedtwice…” right up until the end of thebook. Written from the perspectiveof an insider, this book allows thereader to understand what honour

means for some communities; theimportance and the power that this wordhas for them.

Restaurant review

Fez MangalReview by Sara Wickert

Pictures by Sa

ra Wickert

Review byTania Farias


Photostory

Let's talk Turkish

Pictures by Pablo MonteagudoText by Emily Churchill Zaraa

The New Londoners22

I t may be famous for providing tasty snacks to clubbers after closing time, but the Turkish community has far more tooffer London’s taste buds than just kebabs. Known across the city for its mouth-watering, wallet-friendly treats, YasarHalim bakery sells a delicious range of Turkish and continental breads, cakes, sweets and savoury pastries. Mr Halimfounded the shop on Haringey’s Green Lanes, a hub of the capital’s Turkish community, in 1981, because he felt no-onewas selling the kind of food he could get back home. Over 30 years later, the bakery is a hit with Londoners of allnationalities – including, apparently, the cast of Eastenders.

s afternoon turns into evening you may want to take the five minute walk from Yasar Halim’s to Rakka’s, aTurkish- Mediterranean restaurant and bar. Here you can choose between seafood linguini or imam bayaldi (seep.19), all under the watchful eye of the barely-dressed ladies that adorn the bare-brick walls. It’s atmospheric,especially if you happen to catch one of their live music nights. Oh yes, and there’s shisha.AA

I


A

Ts well as being somewhere Londoners from all communities can go for a taste of Turkish culture, Green Lanes

is a place where Turkish traditions are catered for. The shop window below (right) displays traditionalcircumcision ceremony costumes. Below left, a hallmark of Turkish influence hangs outside Green Lanesoverground station.

he deco is slightly toned-down but the tastes are just as explosive at Gökyüzü, which neighbours YasarHalim’s. Much more than just a kebab shop, this place keeps its regulars happy with lahmacun (thin Turkishpizza) and fresh meze starters, as well as what at least one online reviewer claims to be “the best lamb shish Ihave ever had”.

A

T

The New Londoners24

Wadjda is the story of a 10 year oldgirl who dreams of owning a bike tochallenge her friend Abdullah. She isready to work hard to get what shewants, and she achieves her goal withdetermination.It may seem like the simple story of

a small battle, but if we zoom back werealize that this little girl lives in SaudiArabia, and her desire clashes with thewhole culture and tradition of hercountry. Saudi women are not allowedto drive a car, and owning and using abicycle is considered bad anddangerous to their fertility. The bicyclebecomes the symbol of a desire forfreedom; owning a vehicle and beingable to move around with it.Wadjda, the young heroine, is brave

and knows the world in which shelives. She knows how to bend traditionto her advantage, and experiences thecontradictions of her society intensely.Her mother, on the other hand, isdeeply conservative. She is what she isexpected to be; a devoted wife to God,and to her husband. In turn, the othercharacters represent other facets ofthis culture. Wadjda’s Father isresolute in seeking a new wife whocan give him the male heir that is

expected of him. Abdullah, her youngfriend, is of her generation and is agood sidekick. He supports Wadjda,perhaps not always understandingher, but imagines his future with the‘normal’ ending; marriage with her.Into constant balance between

tradition and innovation, Wadjda usesall her resources to get her bike; fromthe small business of handmadebracelets, up to the religious contestoffering big prize money needed forher dream. Meanwhile, she must facethe daily difficulties anddisappointments; the absence of herfather, the strict rules of the school,the prospect of adolescence that willmake her a woman - with theobligation to wear the veil and getmarried.The importance of this film is that a

woman could write and direct this taleof emancipation. Haifaa al Mansour isthe first Saudi woman to direct amovie and film it entirely in hercountry. The film thus offers asnapshot of the lives of women andmen in Saudi Arabia today, a countrythat is changing, and makingcompromises with its culturaltradition.

ComicStrip

byRhiannonHughes

Film review

Wadjda (Haifaa al Mansour, 2012)Screening: ODEON Panton Street 11/18 Panton Street, London0871 224 4007 (check where it is screening at time of publication)

Review byGianna Mula


What' s on

London Events

Jameel Prize

Victoria & Albert Museum, free entry11 December � 21 AprilInternational award exploring therelationship between Islamic traditions of artand design and contemporary work.www.vam.ac.uk

Thirty Six Pounds

13 The Gallery, free entryPrivate viewing 12 December,runs until 23 DecemberA collection of artwork by survivors oftorture seeking asylum and refuge in the UK.www.freedomfromtorture.org/events

Re�staging Revolutions: Alternative Theatrein Lambeth + Camden 1968�88

Ovalhouse, free entry11 November � 21 December,Tues � Sat 3�8pmAn exhibition on the alternative theatremovement of the 1960s-80s, which featuredstreet and political theatre, gay, lesbian,black, Asian, disabled and women’scompanies.www.ovalhouse.com/whatson

Foreign Bodies, Common Ground

Wellcome Collection, free entry.14 November – 9 February 2014What happens when you set up six artistresidencies in different medical researchcentres throughout the world?This,apparently.www.wellcomecollection.org

by EmilyChurchill Zaraa

Trans�Siberian March Band Xmas Party

Rich Mix, free entry.18 December 7.30pm

Flamboyant 13-piece Balkan brass bandpresents a “borderless bag” ofmusical

treats. Also featuring Pest, DJ Kobayashiand a presentation on how to make a

music video on a budget.

International Migrants Day

Various venues18 December

Talks, protests and celebrations across thecountry in recognition ofmigrant rights.

www.migrantsrights.org.uk/events

The Alternative London Tour

East London, free � £20Until Dec 20 2014,

Bike, walk or drink your way around EastLondon, discovering the history andculture of Brick Lane and the area’s

notorious street art.www.alternativeldn.co.uk

Top Cats & more

Hootananny Brixton, free before 10pm, then £317 January 9pm – 3pm

Eleven-piece “sultans of ska” is joined by Josephine& The Artizans, DJ Natty Bo and Wrong Tom for a

big night of eclectic sounds.www.hootanannybrixton.co.uk

The France Show

Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre, £13/ £10 advance17 – 19 January

Promises the best in French food, travel, andentertainment, including wine tasting, language

theatre and the chance to play pétanque.www.thefranceshow.com

Beyond El Dorado: power and gold in ancientColombia

British Museum, £10/ £8Until 23rd March

Exhibition exploring the rich and diverse cultures ofColombia before the arrival of the Spanish.

www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on

Pictures by Jul ien Morlon (center), Andre Thiel(right), John Perivolaris and Sean Granann(above this l ines)

The New Londoners26

Voices from No Man' s Land

The Poems, published on this space are by refugees,

asylum seekers and migrants living in London

One thousand lizards


Basking in the African sun

In winter

Under deep blue skies

On a big granite rock

In a thick forest

Where the nearest human dwell ing is a thousand miles away

As I pass Kennington Park

From Brixton to London Bridge, on foot

One thousand people basking in the sun

In summer

Lying on their backs, some on their stomachs

With nothing on but bras and pants, or even boxer shorts

On the green grass of Kennington Park

Next to Oval station

Deep in London, SE5


Lying on their stomachs

Can't face the sky, lying on their backs l ike the humans do in Kennington Park

They can only see the rough surface of the rock,

Not the beautiful deep blue (sky) above.

They are fighting, some are even mating in the open, on the surface of the hot rock

Others are chewing

Maybe an unlucky locust whose legs stick out of the l izard's mouth

Sti l l twitching as it tries to free itself

Some have to make their meal of fl ies

In Kennington Park, people do not eat locusts, nor

Do they eat fl ies

They have brought with them

Home-made sandwiches with tuna or

A salad of greens

And bottles of mineral water

They are not fighting or mating

Drawings by Ian Drummond

by Hasani Hasani


Maybe they are farting from the sandwiches

It's not a crime, but fighting and mating in public are.

The heat of the

Sun has warmed their blood and organs

They can only dream of mating in public

They have their sun screens and shades

Lizards do not need sun screens or shades

They have scales and are cold-blooded – cold-hearted

For eating unlucky insects al ive

In the park the sunbathers can smell the green grass

I can't stand the smell of grass

I t makes me sneeze and my nose starts running

After I pass Kennington Park

My swollen feet take me to London Bridge

Where like a criminal on bail I am supposed to report at the immigration office

I can only stand on these feet in the queue waiting for my turn

To be ticked off the l ist

A thousand people are in the queue

The man or woman basking in the sun in Kennington Park has only to fear

The wisp of a cloud that might just

Block the sun for a few seconds

To cause unwelcome chil l

Under the African sun

The fear of the l izards is that predator

Soaring in the sky

Ready to swoop and dip its talons

In one of the thousand

Mating, eating or fighting below

At the reporting centre

My fear is that man or woman behind the glass counter

Whose word might make the surly security guards

Detain me, and whisk me to Yarlswood or that citadel in Dover

Which always reminds me of a l ine from Dante

'Abandon hope, al l ye who enter here'

Then they might send me on a fl ight

Like a Christmas present, to that place

Under the African sun

Where on arrival I wil l be met by a different kind of l izard

Whose only intention is to chew me up

Exercising his truncheon on my twitching feet

And send me to that place

Locked away from the African sun

Where the only l ight is the darkness before me

Where I wil l wish I was smell ing green grass

In Kennington Park, or Hyde Park

(even if it made me sneeze)

Not this muck and urine

And the sweat of two, or four or even

A thousand others, in the (smelly) stinking cell

Voices from No Man' s Land

The Poems, published on this space are by refugees,

asylum seekers and migrants living in London

The New Londoners28

Poetry Cafe, in London’s CoventGarden, in August featured poetryreadings from “Write to Life” atherapeutic creative writing group fromFreedom from Torture. As is the normevery month at the event, the themewas “Exiled Dreams and Imaginings”and was aptly captured in the poetryand music read on the night.The event was hosted by Exiled

Writers Ink, which gives a platform towriters from across the globe toshowcase their talents. Every firstMonday of the month, except on bankholidays, published and unpublishedwriters meet to read their work.The writers for the recent event came

from Uganda, Zimbabwe and Iran. Jadefrom Uganda read her short story“Crocodile”, which she said was inspiredby Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”. FromZimbabwe, Yamikani read the poem“Souvenirs” which talks about scars onher body, the work of a despotic regime.“Souvenirs”, which is also the title ofWrite to Life’s verbatim theatreproduction, premiered at this year’sIndependent Bath Literature Festival.To cap a successful night was Khayke

Wiegand, Lector in Yiddish at the OxfordCentre for Hebrew and Jewish studies.She read from her anthology “Have youseen my goat? And other poems”.Supporting the poetry readings wasTakudzwa Mukiwa from Zimbabwe whoplayed the mbira, a traditional musicinstrument from Zimbabwe.

Exiled dreamsand imaginings

at Poetry Café

by Hasani Hasani


What is Universal Credit?

It’s a new benefit which will graduallyreplace working-age benefits and TaxCredits for working-age people who areunemployed or on a low income.

When will it come into force?

The government has planned a phasedroll out which already started in somelocations in the North West of England inApril 2013. The next phase, which began inOctober sees the inclusion of the Londonborough of Hammersmith and Fulham.Other claimants will be moved ontoUniversal Credit sometime between April2014 and October 2017.

Which benefits is Universal Creditreplacing?

It will replace Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment Support Allowance,Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit andWorking Tax Credit.

How much will I receive and how often?

Universal Credit is means tested whichmeans your income and assets are takeninto account to find out if you qualify. Ifyou qualify, your monthly payment willcover everyone in your family whoqualifies for support. 'Family' could meanjust you, or you might also be claiming fora partner and/or children. Your paymentwill be higher if you have a disability,caring responsibilities, housing costs,children and/or childcare costs. Thepayments will be made monthly.

I’m self employed. How will thegovernment make a decision on howmuch I’m owed?

Those who are self-employed and eligiblefor Universal Credit will have to reporttheir earnings to HMRC every month toensure the payment is made.

How and when can I apply?

You won’t need to do anything until theTax Credit Office tells you to. When you areasked to make an application for UniversalCredit, you’ll be expected to complete aform online. There may be help available toget the form filled in, but this will varyfrom council to council.

Can I get financial advice and supportfor my college or vocational courses?

Further education can be expensive onceyou’ve added up tuition and exam fees aswell as the cost of study materials. If youare looking for help paying for your course,the first place to look is the college orinstitution where you are studying.Colleges usually offer advice on financingyour course, including with loans. Someeven have student hardship funds to helplearners in need. Depending on yourcircumstances, like immigration oremployment status or whether you havethe right to work, it might be worth askingif the college would consider reducing yourfees.

Are there grants available to help mepay for the course?

Charitable trusts might be able to helpyou with some or all of the funding yourequire. Family Action http://www.family-action.org.uk has a grants search on theirwebsite. Just enter your details in theironline form and you’ll be provided with alist of trusts and how to contact them. Theform takes about 15 minutes to complete,but you then need to spend some timereading through the guidelines to checkwhether you are eligible for a grant.

Some of the application guidelines areso long. Do I really have to read them?

Reading those guidelines is a must. It isessential to find out what the charityexpects so that you provide the correctinformation. That way, you will be morelikely to receive the funds you need.

Most charitable trusts want to knowabout my financial situation. What do Ineed to do to show them I need themoney?

Always explain your financial situation indetail. Are you a single parent? Are you on

benefits? Have you got any income at alland, if so, how much? What are yourmonthly bills? And if you are only applyingfor a proportion of the money you need,then how do you plan to pay for the rest? Ifthe charity asks for any paperwork, makesure to include it.

If I am planning to apply to severaldifferent charities, should I mention thison the application form?

Yes, you should let each of the charitiesknow about your intentions to apply forother funding. It makes you look proactiveand means that if the charity can onlyprovide part of the course fees, then theycan rest assured that you will still be ableto take the course.

The application asks for a referenceletter. What is this and how do I get one?

A reference letter is a letter from aformer or current course tutor or anadvisor who knows you well. It states whatkind of person and student you are,whether you are hardworking, reliable andlikely to pass your course. It might includeinformation about extracurricular activitiesor volunteering that you are involved in.The letter must be on headed paper andyou should include the original hard copywith your application.

Are there any trusts which givespecifically to migrants?

Yes. One example of a trust which givesspecifically to migrants and refugees is theRuth Hayman Trust. Education grants aregiven to those who have come to settle inthe UK and whose first language is notEnglish. Grants of up to £500 are awarded 5times a year. Further information andapplication forms can be found at:

EducationAdvice

Further educationfunding

www.ruthhaymantrust.com

This information has been provided byan adviser from the Westminster Advice

Services Partnership (WASP). ForWestminster residents in need ofgeneralist advice across a range of

subjects such as benefits, debt, housing,employment and immigration call the

WASP Gateway Helpline on 08444 771 611

Universal credit

BenefitsAdvice

Picture by Angelo Amboldi

the new londoners winter 2013

Documents

thecorporation of london

ifein london

london school of economics

deputy mayor of london

tothe london economy

immigration wil

turkish people

capital city wil