Refugee children still need our help

THIS November marks 80 years since Britain demonstrated its great humanitarian spirit by helping 10,000 child refugees escape Nazi persecution through the Kindertransport, whilst other countries just stood by.

Today, tens of thousands of child refugees in Europe and across the world still need safe passage.

Children continue to live in horrendous conditions, where death, disease and people trafficking are ever-present risks.

Our country has a proud record of helping those in desperate need and I believe we must continue that record, not turn our back on vulnerable children.

Today’s government has a responsibility to offer child refugees sanctuary, just as it did 80 years ago.

I am asking our councillors to get behind the Our Turn campaign, run by the charity Safe Passage and Lord Alf Dubs, himself a child of the Kindertransport.

The Our Turn campaign hopes to convince the government to resettle 10,000 children over the next 10 years and is asking councils to make pledges to provide places for the children, if the government provides the funding. We can rescue 10,000 children if every council takes just three children a year.

Our country has a proud tradition of welcoming child refugees fleeing persecution. The Kindertransport efforts were driven by a huge amount of public goodwill and I believe we still have that same public support today.

Eighty years on, it’s our turn to show the humanitarian compassion of the Kindertransport to today’s child refugees.

Helen Avouris, Stockport