PLEASE ALLOW KERRY-ANNE HERSELMAN THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN THE UK

Kerry-Anne Herselman is a 30-year South African woman. She is at risk of being removed by the Home Office to a country where she has nobody to look after her and nowhere to stay. Kerry-Anne, who came into the UK on an Ancestral Visa has been living with Kathryn Marshall Herselman, her 57-year- old British mother since her arrival in the UK in 2010. I am Kerry’s aunt and I have launched this petition on her behalf to call on the Home Office to grant Kerry-Anne leave to remain in the UK.


This is what Kerry-Anne's mother has said about her life in South Africa -


"I am a British citizen and I have been living in the UK for just over six years since my return.. Before that I was in a very abusive relationship for thirty years in South Africa. I was abused both physically and psychologically. I was so badly assaulted when I was five months pregnant with my daughter that I almost miscarried her. As Kerry grew up she tried to protect me, but was also abused because of this.

I was isolated and not allowed to go out to work or to have any friends or to even communicate with my family. When I started divorce proceedings my daughter and I had to be hidden by my family who were continually being threatened, harassed and verbally abused. During the times when my family were shielding me a private detective was employed to find me. I applied for and obtained a restraining order, which was completely ignored. Kerry and I were often threatened with a firearm and it is a miracle that we survived.

In the light of all this I decided that when my divorce was through I would come to the UK and not relocate to another town in South Africa for fear of being found. I was in fear for my life and that of my daughter's. We had both been threatened.

My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD in South Africa at the age of six years and again in the UK in 2014. She also has Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Eczema, food sensitivities and sun poisoning, all of which make her life very difficult. All the abuse she has had to grow up with has had a huge effect on her, and she has significant psychological problems, chronic depression being one of them. All this has made her completely dependent on me in order to meet her most basic needs. This support encompasses emotional, financial and practical care needs. A clinical psychologist's report said "Miss Herselman has significant and debilitating health difficulties which prevent her from working" and "she is completely dependent on her mother to function".

I brought my daughter to the UK in 2010. She had been granted entry clearance in the UK ancestry category. After five years she applied for indefinite leave to remain, again in the ancestor category, but was refused on the basis that she had not been working in the UK throughout the preceding five years as required by the ancestral visa provisions. Both the clinical psychologist's assessment and a doctor's report were submitted with the applications for leave to remain to the Home Office.


She applied again for leave to remain indefinitely, this time on the basis of her private life in the UK and her dependence on me. It has been denied again.

Clearly my daughter cannot go back to South Africa on her own. I would be forced to go with her. It is very unlikely that I would get a job there because of the South African Government's "Affirmative Action" policy. We would be in danger of being found by my ex-husband and our lives would be in danger either from violence or lack of funds for our most basic needs. I do however have a job here and I have a new life here away from the abuse that we both fled."

We have a social responsibility to take care of our vulnerable loved ones and I am asking the Home Office to use compassion in allowing Mrs. Herselman to take care of her daughter in her time of need.

Update #47 years ago
Kerry-Anne needs to be assessed for the above condition for the Tribunal hearing, and for those who don't understand what this means to someone who has the condition, the link below may explain a bit about what it is like to live with it. The costs involved in getting these tests done and for the report is staggering; any help supporters can make will be so appreciated. Please share with friends.
http://mcs-america.org/index_files/MCS.htm
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/carolyn-forsberg
Update #37 years ago
The Appeal has now been acknowledged by the First Tier Tribunal and we are awaiting a date for the hearing. This is really good news, and we now need to fund medical assessments as well as fund further legal fees. It would be much appreciated if you could share the petition with friends. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/carolyn-forsberg
Update #27 years ago
It's been quite a week! We found out on Saturday morning that the Home Office had reversed its decision not to allow Kerry-Anne the right of Appeal so it has been a mad scramble to get all of the documentation to the Tribunal. We will need to raise further funds for medical reports as well as for the Barrister's court appearance. Any donations towards this would be much appreciated - the link to the crowdfunding account is https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/carolyn-forsberg
Update #17 years ago
Many thanks to all supporters of Kerry's cause. We are fundraising for a Judicial Review and have managed to raise enough for the initial phase, but will need to raise a substantial amount by the 25th August for the next phase. It would be much appreciated if supporters could donate to this fund which can be found at this link - https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/carol-forsberg?utm_campaign=20160730_77538&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ExactTarget

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