Postcards project helps women in detention in Bedford link with friends and family

Circus of Illustration, hold regular ‘drink and draw’ events in Bedford.

The Yarl’s Wood Befrienders charity asked them if they could theme one of these events around designing cards to be used at the weekly drop in event Befrienders hold for women detained at Yarl’s Wood, and the event ‘Postcards Home’ was held.

Drop-in is a space where women can hang out with befrienders and chat, do puzzles, play games and colour in, and is part of YWBs work visiting women in immigration detention to help decrease their sense of isolation and improve their emotional wellbeing.

Ali Brumfitt, volunteer co-ordinator with YWB said: “Colouring provides a creative outlet and an opportunity for women to focus on something other than the situation they face in detention. Postcards are particularly popular as women can give them as gifts to their friends and family, which can help them feel more connected to the outside world.”

Many wonderful designs came out of the ‘drink and draw’ event and so women attending drop-in were asked to choose the top five designs, which have been printed up into postcards.

The cards will be available for sale in the run up to Christmas at £1 for a pack of four. The money raised will go towards the practical support YWB provide for women, which includes clothing and mobile phone top-up.

The cards will be on sale at YWB’s annual Smart Phone Pub Quiz at the White Horse, Newnham Avenue, which starts at 7pm on Thursday, November 1. https://www.facebook.com/events/525985887872916/

Email to [email protected] to arrange to buy a pack.

To donate to Yarl’s Wood Befrienders visit https://www.ywbefrienders.org/donate-money