Thread by @No2Hassockfield

Did you know that the Home Office are turning what was Medomsley Detention Centre into an Immigration Detention Centre?

Stay tuned for more information on #NoToHassockfield 👇

We’ve had some fantastic help from NGOS, members of the public and more. We agree w/Rosie from the #YarlsWood campaign - people fleeing war, persecution, torture, human trafficking and abject poverty deserve to be treated with humanity and dignity #NoToHassockfield

In the middle of February this year, we welcomed @AlfDubs to speak to us, you can find his article about #AsylumDetention below #NoToHassockfield 👇

politicshome.com/thehouse/artic…

We have a lot of very active members who work incredibly hard in their community and want to #Medomsley be a place of peace, not injustice and horror. One such is local resident and member of Durham City of Sanctuary @dexjo24 #NoToHassockfield

Following Alf Dubs speaking to us, we were honoured to hear from Agnes Tonah about her experience of Detention at #YarlsWood - she said: "This is personal for me...I don't want to see this happen to any of my sisters who are looking for safety." #NoToHassockfield

Agnes set up a petition against Hassockfield on the same day she spoke to us, over 5,000 people have signed to say that they are supporting #NoToHassockfield 👇
change.org/p/the-home-sec…

We are a cross-party campaign, one of our Core Organising Group's key members is Suzanne Fletcher who believes that Hassockfield should be:

✅For - Homes, Hope, Happiness, Health
⛔️Not - Hatred, Horror, Hassle, Hell

#NoToHassockfield

Without the amazing NGOs we've worked with, we wouldn't have been able to achieve what we have so far - we can't thank them enough! #NoToHassockfield

Thank you:
@AVIDdetention @4refugeewomen @womensaid @OAIDcampaign @CityofSanctuary and so many more besides

Bill MacKeith's advice has been invaluable - speaking about #Campsfield he's said: "..the misery and injustice of immigration detention continues at...Colnbrook and Harmondsworth...Morton Hall, and Dungavel. These too have to go. We shall work for that." #NoToHassockfield

We also have the amazing support of @julie4north - MEP for North West England 2014-20 - who sat on the Committee on Culture & Education in the European Parliament. You can read her views on #NoToHassockfield below 👇
northeastbylines.co.uk/no-to-hassockf…

Owain Gardner, a Labour Candidate in Weardale, is part of our Core Organising Group says: "I saw what #ImmigrationDetention is like while working for @julie4north this campaign is personal, detention is inhumane & damages people when at their most vulnerable!" #NoToHassockfield

We have appeared in the Observer in the last fortnight, with specific attention paid to the fact that a) there are no guarantees from the HO that children will not be held there and b) there has been no #publicscrutiny of the plans #NoToHassockfield
theguardian.com/world/2021/feb…

Another vital member of our Core Group is @OwenTemple2 - it is wonderful to work cross-party, especially with someone so committed to his Division/it's environs & to enuring that there is no return to the misery which was Medomsley Detention Centre! #NoToHassockfield

We've even appeared in @M_Star_Online - you can read this article here #NoToHassockField👇
morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/form…

As an aside, it is @julie4north's birthday today and she wonders if you might like to donate to her CrowdFunder to help #NoToHassockfield continue it's work and in advance of what is to come? 👇

https://twitter.com/julie4north/status/1368377994755063809?s=20

Not only do we work cross-party, but across our region too. John Fletcher, from Stockton-on-Tees, says that in no uncertain terms: "I am against the expansion of #ImmigrationDetention at Hassockfield!" #NoToHassockfield

As we come to the penultimate tweet of this thread, it must not be forgotten that #ImmigrationDetention is desperately damaging to #AsylumSeekers when they are at their most vulnerable. @paraicobrien showed this on @channel4news on Thursday 👇

https://twitter.com/paraicobrien/status/1367628206224908289?s=20

Finally, Hassockfield is being promulgated as a women's only IRC, but we know what the HO is like!
So, as we come towards #internationalwomensday2021 we must always ensure that we #StopTellingHalfTheStory especially when it comes to Asylum Seekers #March4Women #NoToHassockfield