Plans to invite a group of male asylum seekers for a 'training day' at a Sussex community centre during the school holiday were abandoned after a furious reaction from residents. Wilderness Wood, a holiday retreat and community hub nestled among the ancient woodland of the Sussex Weald, was forced to cancel the planned event yesterday after protests. The planned meeting, just five miles from Crowborough, which has become a flashpoint in the national immigrant debate, is thought to have been arranged by organisers who planned to invite small boat migrants to the forest. Wednesday's event was believed to include a visit to the 60-acre woodland area that runs arts, crafts, music, and forest school workshops throughout the holiday. The aim was a trial in assisting newly arrived migrants with practical and emotional support to help them adjust to living in the UK.
Once news of Wednesday's event went round locally, a number of residents of the sleepy neighbouring village of Hadlow Down turned up at the site to oppose plans to welcome male adult migrants to the site. The invited migrants, who were part of the 80 men who arrived at a nearby Army base under the cover of darkness in January, are virulently opposed by locals, who claim they pose a threat to women and children. According to Daily Mail - News, Jennifer Kersey described the cancellation as driven by public opinion, noting that few in the area supported the event and questioning what would draw migrants there given the lack of local amenities.
They cancelled it over threats, but I say it was public opinion being against it, they have now decided not to do it. There are not many people here who are in favour of it. I don't know where it's all going to end to be honest. There's nothing here to draw them [migrants] here. We haven't even got a shop.
In this corner of East Sussex, tensions are already high, with protests every Sunday in Crowborough over Home Office plans to house 540 single male asylum seekers in total, including the 80 arrivals there from January. Wednesday's controversial event was cancelled by venue owners, married parents Dan Morrish and Emily Charkin, following an outpouring of anger in a Facebook group for the area. Former architect Mr. Morrish and his wife Emily came under scrutiny from neighbours for the proposed meeting, with one telling the Daily Mail of a 'violent backlash'. According to Daily Mail - News, Jim Smith described the consideration of having migrants at the venue as shocking and noted that the cancellation came after a violent backlash, with residents upset about the lack of consultation, especially those with girls and young children.
In previous Easter holidays, the venue, an education centre, has been given over wholly to less controversial outdoors events for adults and schoolchildren, including picnics and Easter egg hunts. The organisers who planned to invite the migrants have not been identified.
I only heard about it this morning. I know Dan and Emily quite well. The fact they were considering having migrants coming here for lessons, training days is shocking. Now they have said they won't do it, but it was only after there was quite a violent backlash. People are very upset about it. It's when things are done underhand like this. There was no running it past us. Especially those with girls and young children. They already moved all the migrants in at two or three o'clock in the morning in Crowborough.