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REFUGEE WEEK 2009 - NEWS RELEASE

9th June 2009

LUSH lends its support to National Refugee Week 2009

SHOPPERS at cosmetics store LUSH will be passing their messages of support onto people seeing asylum and refugees as the high street chain marks national Refugee Week 2009 (15th-21st June).

Throughout Refugee Week, customers to participating stores will write their personal message on ‘Welcome to Britain’ postcards which will be distributed to people seeking asylum who are most in need.

LUSH, which has teamed up with Refugee Action for the second time to mark the annual celebrations, has donated the bars of LUSH soap. The soap will be distributed to asylum seekers who have been left destitute and are banned from working and therefore cannot afford items like toiletries.

To get shoppers talking, some staff in the stores will also be dressed in famous refugee Albert Einstein wigs, and shoppers will have a chance to see Refugee Action’s new film ‘Forced to Flee’.

Customers will also be encouraged to get involved in Refugee Week’s Simple Acts campaign, which encourages people to choose one or more of 20 actions that help them learn more about refugees and welcome them to the UK.

Sandy Buchan, Chief Executive at Refugee Action, said: “We are very grateful for the support of LUSH for the second year running. Refugee Week is all about celebrating the contribution of refugees, who have fled war and persecution. This year’s Simple Acts campaign encourages people to take part in activities such as watching a film about refugees or ‘sharing your sweets’, which encourages people to donate items to
charities that help destitute asylum seekers.

LUSH stores have got on board with this particular Simple Act and are kindly donating approximately 250 bars of soaps to our offices and to destitution projects, which will go to those who are most in need. Basically every postcard filled in will mean that someone gets a months supply of soap!"

Andrew Butler, Lush Campaigns Manager said, "Lush are proud to support Refugee Week and offer a hand of friendship and support to those seeking asylum in the UK. Destitution is a serious concern for many failed asylum seekers and it is shameful that so many people end up in such desperate straights. Giving soap to those in need is a small contribution and the very least we can do, but what is really needed is a change in policy that provides proper care and support for those who come to the UK for the duration of their time here."

To find out more about the Simple Acts campaign go to
www.simpleacts.org.uk. To find out more about refugees and the work of Refugee Action go to www.refugee-action.org.uk.

Ends

For more information contact Julia Ravenscroft, press officer at
Refugee Action, on 0161 233 1956/ 07771 748 159 or
Juliar@refugee-action.org.uk

Notes:

Participating stores are Birmingham, Bristol, Derby, Dudley, Harrogate, Leicester, Liverpool, London (Regents Street & Covent Garden), Manchester (Arndale Centre, Market St & Trafford Centre), Nottingham, Plymouth, Sheffield, Solihull.
The Simple Acts campaign is about inspiring individuals to use small, everyday actions to change perceptions of refugees. It consists of 20 actions that can be done by anyone and that encourage us to learn and do more with refugees. With every person who joins the campaign and does a small thing with and for refugees, we get a little closer to removing barriers between communities and to creating the kind of world we all want to live in.
1. Cook a dish from another country
2. Tell a child a story from another country
3. Watch a movie about refugees
4. Do a quiz on refugees
5. Say a little prayer for me
6. Read a book about exile
7. Sign off your email with a note about refugees
8. Find five facts about refugees
9. Find out who you REALLY are
10. Visit a Refugee Week event
11. Smile :o)
12. Learn to say a few things in a new language
13. Have tea with a refugee
14. Share a song
15. Join a big action campaign in support of refugees
16. Share your sweets
17. Give a book about refugees as a present to someone
18. Define the word “Refuge”
19. Take a picture of you and your pro-refugee banner
20. Play football with refugees
National Refugee Week (June 16th -22nd) is a UK wide festival that celebrates the enormous contribution made by refugees to UK life. Every year hundreds of arts, cultural and educational events are organised across the UK.
Refugee Action is an independent, national charity working to enable refugees to build new lives in the UK. We provide practical advice and assistance for newly arrived asylum seekers and long-term commitment to their settlement through community development work, and received 30,000 visits from asylum seekers last year. As one of the country’s leading agencies in the field, Refugee Action has 27 years’ experience in pioneering innovative work in partnership with refugees.
5. LUSH - www.lush.co.uk