Refugee aid centre spared at 11th-hour

The Haven has helped more than 120 families since being established in Hull eight years ago to support refugees.

The latest arrivals came from Congo, where most had been living in refugee camps for upwards of 15 years, earlier this month.

Support has varied from helping women who were raped fleeing from war zones to single-parent families struggling to cope with unruly teenagers.

Over the years the Haven, which is based at Centre 88, in Saner Street, has had funding from various sources, but for the past year has relied entirely on funding for its four part-time workers from NHS Hull.

But despite requests for information dating from last August, they had had no response from funders – apart from being told a meeting was not appropriate – and were looking at closing the service at the end of this week.

However, the Yorkshire Post was assured yesterday that they would get funding. A spokesman for NHS Hull said the funding would last “until such time that we can undertake a procurement and therefore put the service onto a permanent basis”.

Gill Martin, one of the two psychotherapists based at the Haven, was delighted.

She said: “It’s great news because of the many refugees who have recently arrived in Hull. It will offer an opportunity for the service to plan and get some dialogue going with the NHS. We want to try and get them to understand what we do.”

A number of the Haven’s clients arrive in Hull via the Refugee Council’s resettlement project, which is also housed in Centre 88. The Refugee Council finds homes for the refugees and supports them for the first year in Hull. Haven tries to help those with more complicated problems who are more distressed and whose children also need support.