By Chris Ballinger

chris.ballinger@essnmedia.co.uk

A CHARITY that provides support for detained immigrants and asylum seekers has celebrated its 15th anniversary.

Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group (GDWG) held a celebration to mark the anniversary on March 1, with a celebrity guest giving the occasion some added glamour.

Actress Sheila Hancock, who was recently a judge on reality show Over the Rainbow, stood up Andrew Lloyd Webber and the premiere of The Wizard of Oz musical to compere the occasion.

When the charity first approached her to take part in the event she was reluctant to do so, as she had never heard of its work visiting asylum seekers detained at Gatwick Airport's Tinsley House and Brook House.

However, GDWG invited her to accompany its volunteers on one of their visits.

She was so moved by the experience she agreed to take part in the anniversary celebration, even though it clashed with the opening night of the musical whose star she had helped to find.

And she also got involved in the case of one of the detainees she met, even going to court to support his application for bail.

"I was so ashamed to discover that we treat people like this," Mrs Hancock told the 150 volunteers, former detainees and staff who attended the celebration event at the United Reformed Church, in Pound Hill.

The event was also attended by the group's patrons, politicians Shirley Williams and Lord Dholakia.

On the night, Baroness Williams said: "If asylum seekers remember Britain kindly, wherever they end up in this troubled world, it will be because of the Gatwick volunteers.

"It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness – this phrase properly describes the work of the Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group."

Afghan refugee Martin Qassemi, 18, also attended the event.

He travelled from Germany, where he now lives, to thank Jim Howley, one of the volunteers who visited him when he was detained at Tinsley House.

"I didn't know anybody in this country – and nobody knew me," he explained.

"I was so lonely. But then – Mr Jim appeared. There was a person to whom I was important, who listened to me.

"Before, I was absolutely hopeless and full of fear, but Mr Jim gave me back hope, courage and confidence."

Over the last 15 years, 355 people from Crawley, Brighton, Redhill, Horsham, East Grinstead, Oxted and other towns have volunteered with GDWG, helping 8,000 detainees.

Gatwick's two detention centres, Brook House and Tinsley House, have a total of 570 beds and GDWG is currently in contact with around 200 people at the centres, visiting 60 on a weekly basis.