Yarl's Wood detention Centre
Why did Serco and Borders Agency want to cancel our agreed Toy Run?
Camrider’s Christmas Charity Ride Out
Sunday 20th December 11:30-16:00
Toy Run to Yarl's Wood - Kids at Christmas
Outside the gates - Sunday 20th December
On Friday 19th December ay 18.40PM Camrider received a last minute call from Dawn Elaine of Serco, the private company running Yarl's Wood detention centre, trying to cancel the already agreed and approved Toy Run. They stated that Borders Agency were concerned about bad press from last week when the the Rev Canon James Rosenthal was turned away, then arrested, when he arrived dressed as Santa and wanted to hand over some gifts at the main gate. This of course was nothing to do with Camrider's planned and agreed Toy Run which had been approved by Yarl's Wood Directors some weeks before.
Bern Adams, Camrider's MD spent the next 30 hours pretty much constantly on the phone and emailing to see which civil servant had pulled the rug from under us. It transpires that Alan Kittle was involved in the decision to cut all links and shut down the gates. Santa it seemed was not welcome whether in a sleigh or on a motorbike.
Here is a direct quote from Yarl's Wood's previous confirmation issued a week before.
"Thanks for raising your concerns with me. I just want to assure you that your visit has been authorised by the Director. We have no concerns with your director dressing up as santa, and the children will love it!"
Eventually after Bern's persistent intervention Serco slightly backtracked and stated they would only let holders of a paper copy of a current Criminal Records Bureau certificate past the secure visitors area. This is the area where general visitors are first searched, ID verified and then allowed into a large common meeting room.
We were told however that the adults and children would not be allowed to meet any of us in the meeting area. We felt unsurprisingly like pariahs.
Bern persisted in one of many emails stating:
"Obviously we are very upset at Borders Agency and Serco's decision to at the very last minute to stipulate that only allow holders of a CRB certificate are able to progress past the visitors centre and meet the children and parents. You will appreciate that this is a grossly unreasonable request, especially so as it was made 26 hours before our already approved visit for which we have had written confirmation for some time. No CRB is needed as parents and Yarl's Wood staff will be fully present during our short visit. We wished to give the children presents for the holiday, let them see the motorbikes if they wished and to let the kids and parents have a little charity at this special time of year. We do not want to work unsupervised with them which is the only reason a CRB would be needed.
This last minute CRB request we believe was not made for the benefit of the children, but so as to enable an excuse for Serco and Borders Agency to cancel the visit. To be frank I personally find it cynical and alarming. We can appreciate your wishing to ensure positive media relations, but to marginalise charitable bikers, on an approved and agreed visit, wishing to give presents to detained children 5 days before Christmas Day is wrong and deeply worrying. We now have concerns that Serco and Borders Agency do not wish any outside contact with the children and their parents for reasons of public and press blackout on operations at Yarl's Wood detention centre.
We take the request for what it is; a bar to entry made last minute to play to the press should you be questioned on why you banned our previously agreed and approved riders from actually meeting the children with their parents/careers to give gifts in person."
Serco's Communication Director Douglass Trainer then stepped in obviously fearful or concerned (dependant on your standpoint) that Serco were in the process of rubbishing a wonderful idea for the kids and a great bit of press for them.
Despite lengthy weekend phone calls and communications Serco and the Borders Agency would not desist from the arbitrary and ridiculous barrier of insisting any adult past the visitors centre needed a CRB.
Just who came up with this brilliant idea needs to revisit their thinking and realise that the kids in Yarl's Wood are not cattle in need of a press blackout in order to protect the centre's reputation.
So the toy run proper was cancelled - many people who would have come along were naturally worried about how politisised and negative the whole issue had come to.
Outside the centre
Undeterred by Serco's and Borders Agency's stance - Bern Adams. Lexi Gilbert and 15 others (all either qualified motorcycle instructors or past pupils) drove the 50 miles in the snow - Hayward's motorcycles of Cambridge kindly came along with two motorbikes in their van so if there was some relenting in Serco's and Borders Agency's position the kids could at least see a motorcycle.
We arrived to a pleasant welcome - though the tension was clear. Then huge amounts of checking and double checking. Lexi Gilbert fortunately could find a CRB certificate so could not be barred from entry. Unfortunately the firefighter, charity workers, teachers and others who did have a CRB but did not have a paper copy went with the others into the locked down sterile area of the visiting area. Here we sat and had coffee.
Poor Rob of Haywards Motorcycles agreed to take his van through the security area - but then had to sit alone in it for two hours as he was apparently unable to leave his vehicle, move a motorcycle (let alone start one) - in front of children with their parents, surrounded by security staff, in a secure areas with more CCTV than a Sky TV "Police Action" show.
With the greatest of irony and highlighting the ridiculousness of the situation, the 15 in the locked down visiting area were surrounded by kids and familys who were visiting or being visited, but who had no idea of why we were there or that one of our rank was in the main building with a vast sack of gifts for the children.
So we came - saw a visiting room, had a coffee and generally took a lot of solidarity with our position. Bern has offered to get a CRB check for anyone who wants one for next year.
Photo:
Bern Adams - Managing Director Camrider, Mark Quigley - Duty Manager Yarl's Wood Detention Centre, Dawn Elaine - Contract Manager Yarl's Wood - Serco, Lexi Gilbert - Camrider events and promotions manager.
Lexi did however get to meet the kids her full write up is below.
We still can't fathom why Serco and Border's Agency wanted to score such an own goal, to water down the nice event for the children and by implication reduce the amount of gifts they receive.
However the staff there were polite and pleasant to us - we had mince pies and we had chocolates for them. We do want to come back next year and make it a proper event as planned.
We would like to thank those at Serco that did try, who worked to get a happy event for the kids, but who like us will be frustrated that at the last minute the collective administration got cold feet and damaged the whole event.
Happy Christmas to all of you!
Lexi Gilbert's details of the inside visit at Yarl's Wood
Lexi Gilbert after her inside visit at Yarl's Wood
Lexi Writes:
It was agreed with Yarl's Wood a couple weeks ago that a group of Camrider (Motorcycle Training) instructors and past pupils would visit the children at the prison on Sunday 20th December to personally give them Christmas presents and let them see some motorbikes. The Manager of Childrens’ and Family Services had also gone to effort to arrange for all those attending to have refreshments and be shown the newly built school unit and some of the living quarters which is normally not accessible by visitors. An up to date list of ages and the gender of children at the centre were supplied so assist with buying appropriate toys. Lexi Gilbert was assured that although there had recently been negative press relating to a charity trying to deliver presents, our visit had been approved by the Directors of Yarl's Wood and they were happy for Bernard Adams, Camriders' Managing Director to arrive on a motorbike dressed as Santa for the occasion. The words were 'the children will love it'.
Then despite Lexi spending weeks organising the event and jumping through all the numerous security hoops, Serco (the private security company contracted to run Yarl's Wood) called on the evening of Friday 18th December to say the Toy Run was cancelled. The Contract Manager explained they were worried about more negative press, and visitors would need Criminal Record Bureau Checks to gain entry to see the children.
Bernard Adams, Managing Director of Camrider spent the next 24 hours trying to negotiate a way around this to ensure the children still received the presents so generously donated by instructors and past pupils, and to prevent the disappointment of all who were planning to participate in the run.
After much negotiation, the Director of Communications for Serco agreed that Camrider could visit the Visitors Centre, but participants would have to wait there whilst only those able to show a CRB certificate would be allowed any contact with the children. CRB approved people would be escorted through the centre to the new school unit where the children would be shown some motorbikes and be given the toys. Detained adults could go into the Visitors Centre, if they wanted, to meet the Camrider visitors. Bernard Adams was told that due to recent events, Santa outfits would not be allowed, nor would news reporters be permitted to attend. The emphasis was to be on the children being able to see the bikes rather than it being Christmas.
There have been so many damning reports of late that the children's welfare is not properly being cared for at Yarl's Wood Camrider questioned whether putting up last minute hurdles was an attempt to prevent Camrider from visiting, thus keeping the centre out of the publics view. Insisting everyone wanting to give toys to the children in person had CRB’s was a grossly unreasonable request, especially as it was made 26 hours before the visit we already had written confirmation for. The visitors would not be working unsupervised with children, but instead, supervised by parents and Serco staff and therefore, not require CRB’s.
The compromise was accepted however, and it was agreed all participants would attend but Lexi Gilbert (the only person able to present a CRB certificate at short notice) would be the only person given access to the children.
Sunday morning’s poor weather conditions forced 14 instructors and past pupils to cancel their plans to join the toy run, leaving just 17 to meet at Camriders’ head office in Sawston in -6 Celsius with toys, and mixed feelings of apprehension, excitement and determination. It was decided they would car share the journey as it would be unsafe to ride motorbikes in the icy conditions. After a quick recovery of a bike and rider who had a small fall enroute to Camrider, everyone set off for the 1 ¼ hr journey to Yarl’s Wood.
The group were met by two smiling Serco staff and invited into the Visitor Centre where they explained what would happen during the visit. Lexi’s CRB certificate was meticulously scrutinized and long phone calls were made to more senior staff to ask whether it could still be accepted despite being 6 months out of date.
Bernard Adams chatted to some of the Serco staff who appeared to be friendly but to some peoples minds - cynical of why we were there and guarded; sensitive questions were deflected diplomatically. No opinions would be expressed, only fact.
The toys were taken to be security checked before they were to be reunited with Lexi in the school unit, and Lexi was led out of the reception area whilst the rest of the party were guided through the strict security checks to gain entry to the visitors hall.
Inside the detention centre, the feeling was very institutional. Serco had made efforts to brighten some of the long corridors with murals of Disney characters, and bright cheerful school children’s paintings adorned some of the walls. Lexi noted the children’s Ofsted registered nursery had more toys and was brighter and more colourful than any other she had worked in as a Nursery Nurse before joining Camrider. This, the Contract manager explained, was to compensate for the institutional feeling. But it was still eerily quiet; no sound of radios, televisions, chatting or laughter. A woman passed in the corridor and the Contract manager said a cheerful hello to the detainee. The woman appeared to avoid eye contact but forced a small smile and returned the greeting. The friendliness all seemed a little artificial.
It was a long walk through the centre to the outside play area and classrooms. There were heavy prison like doors that required locking and unlocking at the end of each of the many corridors. Some of the doors had large mechanical devices on them which were obviously designed for ‘lock downs’. Coloured keys had to be swapped at a security desk before and after entering the main part of the prison. It all seemed slightly over the top for keeping secure people who were not considered dangerous criminals.
They passed a room where several men in uniforms stood around a desk chatting.
Lexi was guided outside to the play area which apart from the height of the surrounding walls, and a little razor wire visible in the distance, could easily have been mistaken for any other school playground in the country. There was colourful climbing equipment and swings, and a huge brick wall had been colourfully painted with multicultural pictures. The Contract Manager explained an outside artist had been contracted to paint it, and the children resident at the time had been asked what they felt represented their country, to help with the design. A section in the lower right of the wall had children’s handprints on stars. They then continued through another heavy locked door in the centre of the mural to an area where there were snow covered basket ball courts and the van containing the motorbikes could be seen in the distance waiting in the vehicle lock for the all clear to unload them.
The motorbikes Haywards of Cambridge kindly loaned for the occasion, were delivered to the high metal fenced area behind the school block. Rob Saggs, the Manager of Haywards was implicitly told he could not get out of the van within sight of the children as he had no CRB, so Lexi went in to the school unit to meet the children whilst Rob was allowed to unload the Moto Guzzi and Enfield.
There were 27 children resident in the centre on the day of the visit. 11 of which were in the school to meet Lexi, patiently sitting on chairs against the walls of the room whilst listening to Christmas music on a stereo. Lexi was told there were few there because ‘a lot have the sniffles’. The children appeared to be mostly of Afro-Caribbean and Middle Eastern origin, ranged from 9 months to 17 years, and spoke excellent English, some with strong South London accents. Some wore sandals without socks and didn’t have jumpers or coats which struck Lexi as slightly odd considering it was so cold outside and there was a long walk from the main building. But all appeared to be clean, wore clothing of appropriate age/size and although slightly suspicious of the visit, seemed reasonably happy.
There were 8 members of staff in the small classroom area. Lexi thought that was a little extreme having such a high ratio of staff to children and wondered whether it was to ensure she couldn’t have an open conversation with the children or two parents present.
After the bikes were delivered to the classroom doors and Rob was out of sight staff took the children to see them. Lexi answered questions about them and explained how they worked whilst the children took turns sitting on them. The lead Play Worker asked every child as they sat on the bikes ‘how fast would you go on this?’ Answers ranged from ‘a little bit fast’ to ‘a hundred million miles’
Once every child had sat on the bikes they went back inside the wooden cabin classrooms to ask more questions before being given one of the toys that had been delivered to under the Christmas tree by security. A little girl started to cry so a nursery nurse quickly swept her up for a cuddle on her lap and she was soon distracted by the toys, making a B-line for a dolly she spotted in one of the bags. One 7 year old boy was very disinterested in whatever toy was offered to him. Lexi offered several; all would have been highly desirable by her son and step son at that age. He said he didn’t like any of the toys and asked if there was anything football related. Towards the end of the present giving a deflated ball and pump was found which he gladly accepted but without smiling. One of the guards offered to play a game with him later.
Some of the items were kept back as they were deemed dangerous due to there containing small pots of paint and pencil sharpeners. The Contract Manager ensured me the children would receive them but they could only use them under the supervision of teachers in the school unit. After giving all the children a toy, Lexi left the remaining gifts for the Play Worker to pass onto the 16 children who were not present, and made the long escorted walk back to the reception of the Visitors Centre.
Most of the people who had attended the visit had already left when Lexi arrived back at the Visitors Centre. Apart from Rob who was made to sit alone in his van for the duration of the visit, the others had been there waiting (no doubt bored) in the Visitors Hall for almost two hours. The Contract Manager said every detainee would have been informed by pagers that there were visitors for them and said ‘it’s a shame no-one came down to see them’ but there was a big flight the next day so they were no doubt dwelling on that. The irony was there were a number of children running around the hall as they were being visited by family and friends. Some stopped and said or waved hello to the Camrider people waiting and this according to Serco was ok despite no-one having CRB’s. Yet only Lexi could see the other children to give the Christmas presents to them.
The visit had been interesting but somber. At a time of year when families are usually celebrating togetherness, enjoying the freedom of Christmas shopping, attending school nativities and parties, having large exuberant and extravagant meals, and spending cozy evenings by a fire watching TV together, it brought home just how lucky we are to have been born in the UK.
The majority of people kept at the centre will be released back into the community as they win appeals to remain as asylum seekers or wait as new applications are processed. But whether sent home or not, and whether they celebrate Christmas or not, Camrider was glad to have brightened their day a little by delivering toys to the children there.
TOY RUN BACKGROUND
The idea is to brighten the day of the children who are locked up at Yarl's Wood with their parents until they hear whether their asylum seeking applications are approved or not.
A message from Bernard Adams Camrider Managing Director:
“I'm in this 100% and hunting a Santa suit. No political issues here and if you have a downer then please just keep that to yourself. This is about kids locked up at our holiday time. I'm not seeing my kids this Xmas so acutely aware of feelings of compassion. A six year old locked up 24/7 with five roll calls a day needs my time more than most. “
It is estimated there will be 30-35 children in the centre over Christmas. Their parents can't leave the centre so the children won't be receiving any presents this Christmas. We would really like to be able to give something to every child so no-one is left out. So if you can stretch a little further to giving 2 small presents then please do. Toys must be new, in their original packaging and unwrapped. They can be brought in gift bags if you like, or have a bow tied around them but they must be visible so they can be checked by security when we enter the centre. Toy guns will be inappropriate.
If you are unable to come along but would still like to donate a toy, please drop it off (unwrapped) at one of the Camrider training sites and someone will give it to one of the children for you. It would be greatly appreciated by the children as they have very little there.
A few facts for you: Yarl’s Wood is just over an hours drive away. The religious makeup on the last prison inspectors report was 64% Christian, 15% Muslim and 5% Buddhist. The majority of the children are aged 1-6 years old and speak English.
A lot of these children have been through a terrible time, some of them having fled horrendous circumstances in their home country to look for refuge in the UK. Potentially their trauma, whether in the minority or not, then continues as they are incarcerated in England with the constant fear they'll be sent back to where they fled from.
There’s been criticism of the immigration service locking up children by MP's, newspapers, human rights and children’s groups. The Chief Inspector of Prisons inspection report (February 2008) states they are ‘particularly concerned by the length of detention of some children and the damaging effect this had on them’, as well as healthcare needing improvement and there being no children’s counselor. Families are often ‘detained suddenly without adequate opportunity to gather essential possessions’ and escorted to the centre in caged vans on long journeys without being given ‘comfort breaks’ which sometimes led to children having to ‘go to toilet in the van’. Parents and Teachers reported cases of children becoming withdrawn, depressed, having panic attacks, bed wetting, and having difficulty eating since arriving at the centre. Children were also reported as having sleeping problems ‘as they were up at crying at night’. Nearly all the children were scared, upset or worried on arrival’ and ‘these feelings remained or even worsened during their stay’.
