Violet: My journey to being granted Leave to Remain together with my two sons

Violet was introduced at the AGM by John Borton. We heard that Violet has been here now for 2.5 years. She has two sons, one with special needs. Violet’s first asylum application was refused. Her  appeal last February was successful.  Violet has served on our Advisory Group for 18 months.   John asked about the process when Violet arrived.

Violet thanked John for this opportunity to speak about her life. When she arrived in the UK, She spent the first 90 days in a hotel until a report found the hotel was not suitable for her son. She moved to the accommodation where she is now.  It was not easy to get support for her boys. But when she came across HWR the job became very easy.  It took all the worry from her. Everything became easy.

“They took care of me so I was able to take care of my kids. So I got the most help and support. “

John B: “So this experience of not being able to find a legal aid lawyer, which is quite common, how was that? What was it like submitting your claim without the support of a lawyer?”

Violet: “It was very scary. But I searched for a legal aid lawyer for a very long time. Nobody wanted to represent me. The first question they ask is ‘Are you paying or not? Once I said no they were like no, they were busy. It was very hard. So I went to my asylum interview alone, by myself, without any legal support. And it was very unfortunate that I was turned down and I was rejected. And after I was rejected I got a lawyer that represented me.”

John B: “Fortunately you were able to access good lawyers through the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants and they supported you. But you had this 16 month wait between being turned down and then the success of your appeal. So what was that period like?”

Violet: “It was horrendous, it was hellish. Waiting for something where you are not sure of the outcome. You’re not sure if your application is going to be accepted or not. You’re just there in the dark. You don’t know your fate, you just, it was very hard, it was depressing for me. It was very depressing because I was always on the edge, I don’t know where I am standing, I’m not here, I’m not there, I was never hearing anything from the Home Office. I don’t even want to think about it. I’m happy I’m past that stage but it wasn’t a good story that I like to talk about.” 

John B: “I remember that time you felt that others that were coming in to your house and were moving through the process more quickly than you and they were getting approved and they were moving out of the house and yet you were stuck in the house with no progress, that must have been so difficult.”

Violet: “It was. I became envious of them. Why were they come and gone and I’m still here? You know I was envious of them. I was angry, I was angry with everything, with everyone. Like ‘Why am I still here?’ Because before I went into the whole thing I was told because of my son they were going to make it faster. But why was I rejected in the first place? Why am I still here in the same house.  Other families they come, and within six months they are gone. I’d been there over two years, it wasn’t a good experience for me…”

John B: “So you’ve been supported during the two and a half years by three particular volunteers, Denise, Carolyn and Pam. How did they help you? How did it feel to be supported and helped by them?”

Violet: “I can’t really mention what they have done, it is so enormous to say, but let me just simplify it. Imagine having one, two, three mums taking care of you, just imagine that, because that is what they were to me.. they were like my mum, they were there for everything, for everything they stood for me. When I was looking for a special school place for my son Denise was there, she did everything.…I think they spoilt me actually, they’ve done so well for me, all of them.”

John B: “But you’ve also given back. You’ve volunteered in an Oxfam charity shop, you help at the playgroup at your local church and you’ve been on our Advisory Group for 18 months now, 19 months, and you’ve contributed actively to that, for which we are very grateful. What makes you want to volunteer?”

Violet:  “Because I felt I have a lot in me, I haven’t just let it die because I am an asylum seeker, I felt I have something in me to give to other people. The same way I received from them, let me also go out there and help out too. Besides that, my sons go to school in the morning, if they are at school what am I doing at home from 9 o’clock in the morning to the afternoon, I am not doing anything so I use that opportunity to go out there and volunteer because I don’t want my life to just centre on being an asylum seeker, I wasn’t able to change the situation, I didn’t want to bury myself, I wanted to live instead of merely existing, waiting for the Home Office and all that. And the help I got, it helped me a lot to be a better person, to be a better version of myself. Because the stress wasn’t 100% on me any more. So I got the time and the mindset to go out there and volunteer and help others too.”

John B: “With that sort of attitude, we really appreciate you as a volunteer for the charity and I think we’re lucky to have you here in the UK, you and your sons. So thank you very much.”