The Hay, Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees have become members of a coalition known as ‘Together with Refugees’. The coalition is made up of nearly 500 grassroots community and refugee-led groups, as well as international charities, trade unions and faith groups.

They are united in the belief in showing compassion for people fleeing war and persecution. By using the symbol of an orange heart, they hope to symbolise compassion, with the orange colour representing hope and the colour of life jackets.

They have joined together with the Refugees Coalition to call for a better approach to supporting refugees that is effective, fair and humane.

According to a poll put together by Together With Refugees, 1 in 4 (28%) people who intend to vote Conservative at the next election believe the government’s approach to the asylum system is working well and less than half (46%) think it is likely to work well in the future. 83% want an asylum system that is well-managed, fair and compassionate. 1 in 6 (16%) of people who intend to Labour at the next election believe the government’s approach to the asylum system is working well and around the same (18%) think it is likely to work well in the future. 88% want an asylum system that is well-managed, fair and compassionate. 18% of the British public think the government’s approach to the asylum system is working well and 1 in 4 (24%) think it is likely to work well in the future. 8 out of 10 (80%) want an asylum system that is well-managed, fair and compassionate.

Over the last few years, HBTSR have drawn attention to the need for better treatment for people seeking sanctuary with a number of stunts including circling St Mary’s Church in Brecon with a string of orange hearts, flying orange heart flags from prominent buildings and flying paper heart shaped airplanes outside Y Gaer and Hay Castle.

On 13th February 2024, the Hay, Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees held a day of activities at Hay Castle to draw attention to the launch of a new campaign for fair, kind asylum laws. Heart cards, heart-shaped corn dollies, banners with messages of peace and paper planes were made. The showpiece was a hand-bound book made by Rebound Books, composed of many of the Parliamentary bills recently passed about people seeking sanctuary. This beautiful book was signed by people visiting Hay Castle complete with messages of support and the pages folded to form a heart shape. The book will go to a few of the local schools of Sanctuary to be completed and then will be on display in Hay Castle.

Over 100 people called in and participated in the activities, with Reverend Anna Bessant signing the book.

Rev Anna Bessant who planned the activities with HBTSR said: “We wanted to turn pages from the Nationality and Borders bill and the Safety of Rwanda Bill into a thing of beauty and love. We hope all politicians will see this message and reflect upon it. Local people are kind and generous and help people who are less fortunate than themselves.”