St Marks Church West Wickham

08/06/2026

Bishop Paul McAleenan, lead bishop for migrants and refugees for the Catholic bishops’ conference of England and Wales, has welcomed a campaign urging the government to restore the right to asylum.

The campaign, launched by Catholic charities the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) and Caritas Social Action Network (Csan), highlights the barriers which refugees and asylum seekers face when seeking sanctuary in the United Kingdom and calls upon the government to “restore dignity in the asylum system”.

“It is well known that many risk dangerous journeys in search of safety and a chance to rebuild their lives,” said Bishop McAleenan. “They do so because safe and accessible routes are unavailable to them.

“I therefore warmly welcome the ‘Welcome the Stranger’ campaign initiated by CSAN, St Vincent de Paul Society and Jesuit Refugee Service UK in defence of the right to seek asylum in the UK.

“I encourage Catholics to engage with the campaign however they can and stand in solidarity with those forced to flee their homes.”

Sophie Cartwright, senior policy officer at JRS UK, told The Tablet: “Some clear next steps to restoring the right to asylum would be repealing the anti-refugee laws that have been passed in recent steps.

“There’s the Nationality and Borders Act, which makes huge steps in criminalising people seeking asylum and puts in legislative barriers to asylum, so that the government can say they won’t even look at people’s claims, which leaves them in limbo or at risk of refoulement.”

Refoulement, the forcible return of refugees or asylum-seekers to a country where they are likely to face persecution or violence, is widely prohibited under international human rights and refugee law.

“There’s also the Border Security and Asylum Act, which builds on the criminalisation of people seeking asylum,” Cartwright continued. “Seeking safety cannot be a crime. It’s one of the key principles of the Refugee Convention that people seeking asylum should not and cannot be punished for crossing borders informally."

Read more at the link in comments. Photo © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

07/06/2026

Well articulated.

07/06/2026

04/06/2026

Summer Fun Day – Saturday 27th June (11am–3pm) 🎉

Just a reminder that our Summer Fun Day is coming up, and we’re really looking forward to a fantastic afternoon for the children and families.

There will be lots going on across the day, including fun stalls, activities, refreshments, and plenty of chances for the children to enjoy themselves and spend time together as a school community.

We’re especially excited to be welcoming some of our new families who will be joining St Mary’s in September - it will be lovely to meet you!

We’re also pleased to share that Bluey & Bingo will be popping by during the event too 🐾

It’s always one of the highlights of the PTA calendar and a great opportunity for families to come together, have fun, and celebrate the end of term.

We hope to see as many of you there as possible!