Join us. The Churches’ Refugee Network(CRN) Annual Meeting will be an opportunity to hear more about the CRN’s work over the last year, as well as its planned activities over the coming one. Be informed. The meeting will: Explore the ‘new’ British Government’s approach to asylum and immigration, and whether we have ‘turned the page’ […]
Churches' Refugee Network (CRN)
A family reunited in Ireland under the Travel Assistance Programme.
Photo © UNHCR/Andrew McConnell
Welcome to the revamped pages of the Churches’ Refugee Network (CRN).
CRN encourages Churches in Britain and Ireland to proactively engage in issues linked to asylum, refugees and migration per se. The network consists of a growing number of Church-related organisations who share a commitment to support and advocate for refugees, both those overseas and those who have come to the UK. We have come together because we know the value of collaboration, sharing and coordination; we see this group as a means to enable each of us to be more effective in our own area of work, with our collective impact being greater than the sum of its various parts.
CRN is a project of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI), which facilitates effective collaborative working in partnership with the four National Ecumenical Instruments in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and England.
CRN is currently chaired by The Rt Revd Dr John Perumbalath, Bishop of Bradwell. The actual coordination is carried out by CTBI staff: Richard Reddie, CTBI’s Director of Justice and Inclusion, is the coordinator, while Romina Infantino is the Information and Communications Officer.
CRN is committed to working across the four nations: Wales, Scotland, England and Ireland and endeavours to host events in these countries. It also seeks to obtain the perspectives from these nations, which are nuanced in difference.
CRN is also founded in the belief of the inherent dignity of all people. It believes we are all created equal with the image of God within us. It stands for a society that refuses to turn a blind eye to the suffering of people seeking sanctuary. It is also committed to working ecumenically, motivated by our faith, recognising and drawing on each other’s gifts, skills, experiences and insights, and open to the input of others who share our beliefs and aspirations.
You can download the Churches Refugee Network - Terms of reference (PDF).
CRN Briefing: Challenges to Society and Church from August 2024 riots
Message from CRN Chair The riots that broke out across different parts of the UK in August 2024 tragically underlined the importance of many of the themes we have been working on in the Churches’ Refugee Network in recent years: the scapegoating of migrants, refugees, people seeking asylum and other vulnerable communities in response to […]
London Churches Refugee Fund speaker meeting – 4 June 2024
Speakers at the London Churches Refugee Fund speaker meeting, on 4 June 2024 at 6.30pm, include Revd Dr Inderjit Bhogal. Inderjit is a former President of the British Methodist Conference, and Founder of the City of Sanctuary network and movement. He is working with Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) to develop and promote […]
Churches’ Refugee Network meeting – 29 April 2024
Advocacy and Engagement. 29 April 2024, 2-4pm via Zoom. This meeting will explore the themes of ‘advocacy’ and ‘engagement’, and we will focus on community sponsorship, asylum seekers and Christian conversions, Refugee Week, and a possible multifaith response which challenges the harmful narratives around refugees, among other issues. Join us as we discuss how the […]
Don’t call me a racist! Refugees and their resettlement in the film The Old Oak
* Now streaming on Netflix – March 2024 * When do so-called ‘legitimate concerns’ over the location and accommodation of asylum seekers and refugees, spill over into what can be described as racist attitudes or behaviours? That is one of the themes in the new Ken Loach film, The Old Oak, which is set in […]
Making our voices heard: churches, migration and the General Election
Churches’ Refugee Network (CRN) – 24 January 2024, 2-4pm. Join us for this CRN meeting which will focus on the upcoming UK General Election, and explore what churches and parachurch groups can do regarding the conversations around immigration, asylum and refugee matters. This CRN meeting will also welcome those individuals and groups who were part […]
Beyond our borders: European perspectives on UK’s asylum and migration context
Online Seminar: Monday 18th December 2023, 6pm to 7:30pm. This event will bring together leaders involved in welcoming and supporting refugees and asylum seekers across Europe, with an expert panel bringing a range of perspectives about the specific UK context and exploring how we can harness safe and legal routes to ensure that people can […]
Update from the Churches’ Refugee Network
Keep up-to-date with the latest developments and activities related to immigration, asylum and refugees, in a British and Irish context, with the latest bulletin from the Churches’ Refugee Network’s (CRN) Advisory Group. This issue includes details of: How to respond at the next UK General Election. Birmingham Schools of Sanctuary Film review: The Old Oak. […]
Churches’ Refugee Network Annual Meeting – 25 Oct 23
Join us via Zoom for this Churches’ Refugee Network (CRN) Annual Meeting to hear about the work of the CRN with the churches in Britain and Ireland on refugee and asylum-related matters. This will be an opportunity to hear from the Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Revd Dr John Perumbalath, CRN’s Chair, who will talk […]
Report: Refused? Experiences following a negative asylum decision
Claiming asylum in the UK is more complex and open to injustices than many realise. Although more than half of asylum applications made in the UK in recent years have resulted in the granting of refugee status, not everybody is given the protection they are entitled to on first attempt. This report, designed, led and […]
