Leeds school caretaker who lost fight to stay in UK in emotional exit


Source :Yorkshire Evening Post

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/leeds-school-caretaker-who-lost-fight-to-stay-in-uk-in-emotional-exit-1-6864955

'... Staff at Collingham Lady Elizabeth Hastings CE Primary School held a special assembly yesterday to pay tribute to hardworking colleague Portas Ongondo, who had worked there for six years.

'Pupils returning to their classrooms for the autumn term were upset to find the caring character was no longer a feature of their school lives.

'The dedicated worker, whose commitment to the school “far exceeded the role of caretaker”, was told during the summer break he could no longer live and work in the UK following the breakdown of his marriage. '

Portas on Twitter : https://twitter.com/PortasUK

Via I Love My Foreign Spouse and Dinnae Deport Oor Arbroath Angie.

Paul and Cate

If you haven't read it yet, their story is a must read :
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/petition-my-name-is-paul-my-fiancees.html

Please support their petition :
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/to-the-rt-hon-david-cameron-please-amend-immigration-policy-in-line-with-international-human-rights-requirements-to-provide-equality-for-families-affected-by-disability-or-on-a-lower-income

Petition: My name is Paul, my fiancee's name is Cate, this is our story

Please sign and share. As Paul asked at the end of the petition, the story is reproduced in full below.

 “In my house amidst the ruins, missing roof, no forks or spoons…”

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/to-the-rt-hon-david-cameron-please-amend-immigration-policy-in-line-with-international-human-rights-requirements-to-provide-equality-for-families-affected-by-disability-or-on-a-lower-income

'I am known on Facebook as Editorial Spark, formerly a successful Alternative DJ, also an established author, conservation entrepreneur, humanitarian and I suffer from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

'My faith in people’s ability ‘to do the right thing’ has taken quite a battering in recent years. In trying to fight back from a crippling, debilitating and very personal illness I have decided not to hide but instead share my story and, when my mind allows, post on Facebook the events as life unfolds in the hope others will do likewise in the hope that one day all discrimination might be a thing of the past.

'No one is perfect, far from it, we are all different and that is the uniqueness that shapes us and inspires us to become our dreams and aspirations. There are so many people in this world who have their creativity, or uniqueness, or genuine belief, or open-hearted trust, or hard work, or determination to make a difference simply crushed by those who would take advantage and twist it like a sharp blade until you bleed inside.

Montu

“My mum is all alone and needs me for financial and emotional support.”

Montu is a British Citizen. He lives in London with his wife and two daughters, both of whom are British citizens by birth.

Montu is a Chartered Accountant, and has had a successful career, working with global organisations. He is a high rate taxpayer, and has contributed a six figure sum in taxes to HMRC over the past few years alone.

Montu was brought up in Kenya, by loving parents, who taught him to be good to others, respect the rights of others, care for the elderly, work hard and live within ones means. These are the very values the British government is making it difficult for families to adhere to, whilst simultaneously promoting them and families as the bedrock of our society!

Montu’s father was the sole breadwinner and took care of the day to day running of the house. However, his dad recently passed away after over 40 years in a happy marriage, leaving Montu’s mother devastated and alone.

She has started to become depressed and her health has deteriorated. As anyone who has been through such an episode would appreciate, it is vital for the surviving spouse to have long term family support after such an event. As the only son, this responsibility falls to Montu, whose mother is now completely dependent on him for financial and emotional support.

UK immigration rules however make it impossible for elderly surviving parents to stay with their children in the UK, even without recourse to public funds.

Montu is therefore being forced to consider returning to Kenya (where security remains a major concern) or to move elsewhere in the EU – he is being forced into exile just to be able to look after his widowed mum.

Either option will result in the cessation of Montu's employment in the UK and severe disruption of family life for Montu’s wife and daughters, who as British citizens have the right to a British upbringing and education.

More stories about elderly dependants : http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/elderly%20dependants
More stories : http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/stories

Still more good news - Christopher

What a day.... And it's with more pleasure than I have ever experienced that I am able to reveal that today my solicitor has confirmed that UKBA have decided to issue entry clearance visas for Caroline and Michael to come and live with me in the UK. It's been a long hard struggle with high peaks and low dark valleys but our love and prayers have finaly brought a happy conclusion. .

Thank all of you in Facebook world for your support. The support groups that have and are still helping and supporting others. Our joy and happiness is wonderful but please remember that there are THOUSANDS of couples who are still confronted by the unfair rules that keep families apart. Please keep them all in your prayers / thoughts. I am a very lucky man to have YOU ALL in my life. X

Christopher's story :
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/christopher-i-believe-in-my-marriage.html

Christopher on Channel 4 News :
http://www.channel4.com/news/the-families-separated-by-the-government
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/the-families-separated-by-government.html

Eric & Halima

“We are £800 short of the £24,800 threshold and therefore not allowed to be together as a family.”

Eric is a British resident. He has been living here for 25 years. He met his wife, Halima, whilst on holiday in Kenya. They hit it off immediately, and about a year later welcomed their beautiful daughter into the world. They got married and were blessed with a second child, a son. Their family is complete.

Eric works as a Head Chef. When he applied for a settlement visa for his wife and two children, both born in Kenya, he earned £23,124. With overtime and bonuses included, he earned £24,000. The visa was still however refused because this is £800 short of the £24,800 needed to sponsor a spouse and two children.

Despite Eric not claiming benefits – indeed, by the government’s own account, earns so much he is disqualified from claiming benefits - this family is told they can’t be together because of £800.

A married couple with two children. A father who has not even seen or held his son. A father who knows his son through Skype. A father not able to be there for his wife and daughter either.

Eric has tried living in Kenya. However he was unable to find a suitable job. With a family to support, they decided it made financial sense for Eric to return to the UK, his home and have his family move here.

But because of £800 they are not allowed to be together.

The family made a video of their plight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KrMqtuvcck

More : 
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/divided-families-skype-love-httpswww.html
http://familyimmigrationalliance.wordpress.com/2013/09/08/halima-and-erics-story/
https://twitter.com/halimasalat

The families separated by the government.

http://www.channel4.com/news/the-families-separated-by-the-government

An excellent piece by Channel 4. Featuring two BritCits - Andy ( http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/andy-my-poor-boys.html ) and Christopher ( http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/christopher ) - plus  Saira Grant of JCWI ( http://www.jcwi.org.uk/ ) - on Channel 4 News.

'Last year, I met Andy Russell and his two little boys Dylan, aged 6, and Devon, 4. The new immigration rules forced their mother Molly to return to China while Andy searched for work - a job which would pay at least £18,600 - the minimum earnings threshold for his wife to be allowed to stay. (Previous media piece on Andy : http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/a-good-day.html ).

'He told me: "The emotional cost you cannot put a price on. When Molly first left, devon just cried, he'd spent every day and night with his mum and suddenly he had nothing"

'They were forced to communicate through Skype and Molly became known as "computer mummy".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhHpaq4KBxY

 
'... Chris Reed is still waiting even though an immigration tribunal ruled in his favour.

'At the age of 63 he works 45 hours a week caring for the elderly. He's £17 a week short of that annual £18,600 figure.

'It's not enough to bring his Kenyan wife to Britain, even though he has a rent-free home and no mortgage.

'At the tribunal, the Home Office - which is in the process of defying legal attempts to amend the rules and lower the financial bar - contested that thousands of pounds in premium bonds did not amount to savings and suggested that Mr Reed simply move to Mombasa.

'Chris told us:"I was dumbfounded it should even be an option, that as a British citizen I should be asked to uproot and leave my family behind just because I had fallen in love with someone who doesn't come from the EU."

'The judge agreed, saying: "I do not accept it is reasonable to expect a British citizen to live in Kenya. It would deprive him of of the benefits of his British citizenship."'

 ‘No free man shall be arrested, imprisoned, dispossessed, outlawed, exiled or in any way victimised, or attacked except by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land’ - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_Carta

Andy in action.

Louise

“There are better ways of managing immigration than punishing British citizens and the people we love.”

Louise is a British citizen from Manchester. Her husband is Kenyan.

They met in 2011 on a family holiday there. Their relationship started off as just friends, but by the time she returned to the UK, she was so much in love with him, she decided to visit him for Valentines Day. Since then, she has visited him three times a year with her family offering her financial support.

Louise lives at home with her family. They are supporting her while she works in a volunteer and low-income role. She is also searching for full-time work.

The agony of being separated was tearing them apart but their determination to maintain their long distance relationship grew more and more, communicating on bbm (every day) and by talk home calling cards.

A year later, they formalised their love and commitment to each other by getting married in a religious ceremony in Kenya. At the time, neither Louise nor her family were aware of the changes to the family migration rules – they were caught out like so many others.

Unsurprising given the speed and quietness with which the rules were brought in..they weren’t even taken through Parliament in the proper manner!

However, upon finding out they remained unwavering in their determination to stay together no matter what – to maintain their union as husband and wife.

The only family Louise has is her mum, step-dad and young brothers. Louise’s mother-in law passed away when her husband was only a child; her father-in-law is an alcoholic.

Love is blind and isn’t a conscious decision based on earnings or influence; nor family background or nationality.

Louise and her family firmly believe that Theresa May's family migration policy is unfair and punitive. There are better ways of managing migration than punishing British citizens and the people they love.

Christopher

“I believe in my marriage vows, and am firm in my commitment to my wife.”

Christopher is a British citizen, 62 years old, father of three and grandfather of two. He was born in Brighton, and married for 39 years to Andrea, who passed away on New Year’s Day 2010 after battling multiple sclerosis for over 20 years. During that time, Christopher was her principal carer, their children and family, while also working for the Probation Service, within the Community Service team.

Christopher shares his home with his daughters, Tara and Clare, and his beautiful granddaughter, Ebony.

They designed the house to cater for the care of Andrea in 2006, which now, though partitioned into three living areas, is in fact one house. All three adults have their own private space, divided by one room, but they are all accessible to each other. A little quirky but it works very well for them.

After a year spent in a state of adjustment, with lots of support from his family, Christopher joined an
organisation "GVI – Global Vision International" and signed up for a year of volunteering in Kenya. The role involved teaching in a slum near Mombasa, in a place called Bombolulu.

This was a life-changing experience in many ways. A young woman he came into contact with whilst
carrying out this work was to change his life even more. Christopher had no intention of remarrying – he had settled in to teach English to the most enthusiastic bunch of children one could imagine, when he met Christine – funny, happy, intelligent and with a strong warm heart.

Christine has a 6-year old son, Michael, who is an adorable little bundle of trouble. The birth father has never been in Michael’s life and knowledge of his whereabouts is unknown. Christine and Christopher became friends, then more. In August 2011 they married in Bombolulu.

Christopher’s children, grandchildren and friends came to Kenya for the wedding along with all the
children from the two local schools, 200 local friends and volunteers ... it was a wonderful wedding.

Christopher carried on with teaching, until he fell ill and was advised to return to the UK. After treatment, he returned to Kenya in the hope of bringing Christine and Michael home with him.

Visa Application

At some expense they engaged UK VISA and IMMIGRATION to prepare the visa application which was presented in Nairobi in January 2012. However, Christine was diagnosed with TB and thus followed six months of treatment. While the family is now blessed - Christine has been given the all clear and is in good health - they face devastation under the new rules, as their new application in August 2012, was refused.

Employment

Christopher works for Enara Community Care as a domiciliary care worker. He cares for the elderly in their homes, starting work at 6.45am and sometimes until as late as 9pm. His annual salary is c£15,500 which, combined with a pension of £3,746 from Probation Service, gives him an annual income of £19,246.

He is considering employing a local solicitor who has indicated there is a case for appeal with fees over £4,500. Christopher’s savings are being depleted by having to finance life in Kenya for his wife and stepson, maintaining his life here and the additional cost of maintaining regular contact with his wife.

Christopher believes in his marriage vows and is firm in his commitment to his wife. He is lucky to have a supporting family and friends who are praying for Christopher to be reunited with Christine and Michael.

Like other BritCits, Christopher is realistic about why we have immigration rules; but he feels that the draconian way these have been imposed, without regional income tolerances or respect for British citizens being taken into consideration is just plain unfair.

He believes the rules brought in make a mockery of the Conservative Party’s manifesto commitment:
“Strong families are the bedrock of a strong society. They provide the stability and love we need to flourish as human beings, and the relationships they foster are the foundation on which society is built – Britain’s families will get our full backing across all our policies … We need good, strong families to help our society work well. We will support families to stay together.”