"There is still a place for friendship and kindness" says founder of refugee charity after Chichester Park Hotel protests

Roger Pask, the 83 year-old former chairman of Sanctuary, said “there is still a place for friendship and kindness” following weeks of controversy surrounding the use of the Chichester Park Hotel to home refugees and Asylum Seekers.

Founded in 2015, Sanctuary offers a wide range of support for refugees throughout West Sussex, including a weekly drop-in session, befriending schemes, a homework club for kids, English tutoring, outreach and pathways into work.

Although he stepped away from the organisation some years ago, Mr Pask still holds to its foundational values, and hopes to see refugees in Chichester treated with compassion and a respect for their fundamental humanity.

"My view is that this is all about simple friendship and empathy. Many of us were lucky to have been born to loving family in a peaceful country. So what I would like people to do is to give kindness to those people in a less fortunate position than themselves. These are people who had to flee from their own country or who have had to uproot their own lives and those of their families to make sure their quality of life is still worthwhile."

Since it was announced that the home office were looking at a Chichester-area hotel in which to house refugees, and the Chichester Park Hotel announced it would close as of September 26, the area has been home to a series of protests.

Although there are some who argue that Chichester should welcome refugees, many feel their presence in the 81-bedroom hotel would strain oversubscribed schools, roads and doctor’s surgeries, adding that local homeless people don’t enjoy the same benefits.

But Mr Pash said the concerns of many protestors are rooted in xenophobic or right wing talking points: "A lot of people ay charity begins at home, and I agree with them,” he said.

"But maybe where we might disagree is where it ends. I think people on the far right who say this sort of stuff are maybe people who have not themselves been treated with kindness as they make their way through life.”

His statements come as conversations around the hotel continue, and after Sanctuary itself issued a message of support to refugees coming into the city and launched a public appeal for donations.

"There are two things that would make a big difference: donating so we can buy items or services that we are unable to source for free, and becoming a volunteer with us,” a statement on their website reads.

"Our awesome team of volunteers carry out the majority of the organisation’s vital work, and we provide the training and support needed to make it as rewarding as possible.

If you have items you would like to donate, please give them to our partners – Food Bank, Rotary Club Clothes Bank (clothes, shoes, household goods, furniture), Little Bundles (clothes, toiletries and toys for maternity, nursing mothers, babies and young children) and My Sister’s House (toiletries and clothes for women). We don’t have storage or capacity to deal with donated items, so we are very grateful to be able to source them through our partner organisations according to individual needs.”