Home Office grant funds cricket and dance for asylum seekers
A Home Office grant of £50,000 has been used to provide cricket coaching and dance lessons for migrants at the Wethersfield Asylum Centre in Essex, sparking fury among local residents and politicians. The centre, located on a former RAF base near Braintree, currently houses around 800 men, with capacity set to increase to 1,245.
Breakdown of the funding
According to GB News, Braintree Council received the grant from the Home Office's Large Sites and Vessels Grant, designated for activities for migrants. Of the total, £17,490 went to the Catholic Church's St Vincent de Paul Society for English lessons, art workshops, and gardening. Art Refuge received £14,125 for dance classes called Echoes of Home in partnership with Atelier Armonico, running until 2028. Another £10,750 was allocated to sports, including £7,650 specifically for cricket coaching.
Local opposition and calls for closure
The camp has faced persistent calls for closure, especially after a resident was charged with assaulting a woman at a charity shop in Braintree. Council leader Tom Cunningham expressed dismay, stating the community had been "treated with contempt" by the government. He said: "We are bitterly disappointed that, after more than three years of having the UK's largest asylum accommodation centre imposed on this district, it appears it will now stay for an indeterminate amount of time."
Home Office defends grant
A Home Office spokesperson said the £50,000 grant was launched in spring 2024 to address an immediate need for activities until the site operator could provide sufficient arrangements. They confirmed there is no intention to provide further funding. The spokesperson added: "Any non-statutory funding uses, such as this community grant, must be approved by the Home Office." The activities took place on the site itself, not in the wider community.
