We believe that people desperate enough to cross the Channel in a rickety boat do not deserve to be punished. We believe they are guilty only of the courage and initiative to make a perilous journey from a place of danger, leaving behind their loved ones and livelihoods.

It’s the reason we offer welcome, hospitality and sanctuary for foreign nationals who are destitute in London, focusing especially on those with no recourse to public funds.

Guests of the Sunday International Group are truly part of St Martin’s life.

“Through this ministry we have discovered our neighbour. And our neighbour is no longer a person on the edge, but us, as we eat together, we share together, and we offer one another the gifts of our hospitality. Who is the guest, and who is the host? It is now difficult to tell.”

 Revd Richard Carter

Throughout lockdown, we kept this work going, thanks to our generous supporters.

And last week, guests proudly recorded their stories for us to share with you.

But then the Home Secretary announced plans for greater restrictions on the lives of those seeking asylum in the UK – notably, by limiting the rights of refugees arriving by ‘irregular routes’. The Home Secretary’s announcement has made our friends afraid to reveal their identities.

In this short film you can listen to their voices, describing the sense of belonging and connection they feel through our Sunday International Group.