Latest News
£25,000 raised to save asylum information centre
29 June 2010
Individual supporters and funders have donated £25,000 over six weeks to save the Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees (ICAR) from definite closure.
More than £3,000 came via cheques and online donations given by concerned members of the public and small organisations.
ICAR, previously based at London City University, was to become a casualty of higher education sector cuts when the university announced its inability to house the centre in April 2010. Without this base, ICAR was certain to close by the end of June 2010.
More than 85 students wrote in protest at the threatened closure.
The centre, which provides an invaluable source of unbiased information about asylum and refugees, managed to find a new home at the eleventh hour courtesy of race equality thinktank the Runnymede Trust.
However, once Runnymede had stepped forward in May 2010, the two organisations then had just six weeks to raise £25,000 to cover the costs of the move, without which ICAR would have had to close permanently.
Thanks to the generosity of individuals who donated via a dedicated web page and contributions from ICAR’s existing funders, the centre will now be able to function as normal, based at the Runnymede offices in central London.
Journalist Melanie McFadyean, who regularly writes for the Guardian, personally donated £100 to the campaign. She said: “We are ignorant about what is happening to asylum seekers in the UK and will be even more so if such an important outfit as ICAR were to be disbanded.”
Dr Rayah Feldman of London South Bank University said:
“ICAR is highly respected among academics and others concerned with obtaining accurate information about immigration in the UK. I know of no other resource in the UK that examines such a broad range of issues on asylum in such a trustworthy way.”
Dr Nissa Finney of the University of Manchester said:
“ICAR provides an invaluable source of impartial information. No other such organisation exists in Britain.”
ICAR director, Neil Amas, said:
“We feel greatly indebted to the public, without whose generosity we would not be able to continue to do this vital work.”
Under the new arrangement ICAR will continue to operate as an independent centre, while benefiting from and contributing to the running costs and management support of Runnymede.
We are still fundraising to help keep ICAR going for as long as possible and cushion both our organisations against further cuts. If you are able to, please donate at online via the Big Give by clicking on the logo below:
For further information, see the ICAR website or contact Jacob Lagnado on 020 7040 4596 or at Jacob.Lagnado.1@city.ac.uk
