This year marks 80 years since 10,000 unaccompanied child refugees fleeing Nazi persecution were taken in by British communities. This was the Kindertransport and it saved my life.
As a young boy my mother put me on a Kindertransport train to escape Nazi-occupied Prague. I was one of the lucky ones. Some of my family died in the Holocaust.
Today across Europe, there are tens of thousands of unaccompanied child refugees who are in need of safe passage. After fleeing war and persecution, children arrive in Europe only to be held in overcrowded camps so appalling that children as young as 10 are attempting to take their own lives. Many more simply disappear into the hands of traffickers.
We're good at celebrating the heroes of the past, but less good at recognising when those heroes would have spoken up today.
We want Theresa May to act in the spirit of 80 years ago and make a commitment to refugee children today.
We're asking her to give safe passage to 10,000 child refugees from Europe and the regions over the next 10 years.
We need to give these children hope.
Let's make sure Britain continues its proud tradition of welcoming refugees.
Will you sign my petition to ask Theresa May agree to resettle 10,000 children at risk over the next 10 years?
Update #25 years ago
Hi,
Thanks to your support at the end of her premiership Theresa May agreed to extend existing routes to refugee resettlement for one more year, until 2021. However, May failed to make any guarantees on how many child refugees would be welcomed.
We're now asking Boris Johnson to make a longlasting commitment to make space for child refugees. Sign the petition today to demand a commitment: http://bit.ly/MakeSpaceBoris
Thank you,
The Safe Passage Team
Update #15 years ago
Hi there,
Thanks for signing Lord Dubs' petition asking Theresa May to grant 10k at-risk child refugees safe passage to the UK. We're making sure our country lives up to its proud history by matching the efforts of the Kindertransport 80 years on.
Over 31k supporters have signed the petition, now it is time to deliver it to May. Come and join Lords Dubs, refugees & supporters tomorrow morning at 10.30am to hand it in at Downing Street.
Sign up here: http://bit.ly/2zuGd3l
Mike - Safe Passage