A new contractor, SERCO , is now in charge at Hassockfield/Derwentside IRC.
Serco already runs other immigration removal centres. It seems unbelievable that a government can sign off a 9 – 10 year contract, worth £69,500,000 relating to policy so volatile as immigration detention. Let’s hope the new contractor can at least start by solving some of the problems Mitie has left behind – improving communications and interpretation services for example – as highlighted in the IRC’s Independent Monitoring Board Report.
But our campaign is about so much more than calling for humane conditions in the IRC, important as that is.
It appears increasingly that the government is not interested in addressing one of the greatest issues of our time: how are we as a global society to come to terms with the inevitable growth of migration? The story of King Canute and the waves comes to mind. We are part of a nationwide network of campaign groups and agencies fighting against the hostile environment and pushing for a whole new way of approaching the reality of ‘lapping waves’.
Go through the SEVEN DOORS
Extraordinary documentary photographer Greg Constantine has just completed a massive project documenting the lives of people held in immigration detention in seven countries. One of these is the UK.
In the course of his investigations he came to Hassockfield/Derwentside and included our IRC in his project, with a powerful photograph. You can find his project here.
And here’s a link to our action documented in 7 Doors:/https://www.notohassockfield.org.uk/mourning-in-solidarity/
7 doors.org
PS Ever wondered why you see a ‘double’ name for the IRC? Browse here to find out. We try to use both names, to remind the world of the history of this place and the Home Office’s attempts to hide it. But you will see that perhaps inevitably, the new name also appears alone on our posts. Now you know!
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