Conversation Over Borders has today unveiled a powerful installation at Truman Brewery, Shoreditch, No Escape Room which lays bare the harsh reality faced by those seeking asylum in the UK. The installation is supported by Ben & Jerry’s, the ice cream company known for its longstanding commitment to social justice.
No Escape Room shows the real story behind so-called ‘temporary’ asylum accommodation and has been developed in close collaboration with people who have lived experience in the asylum system. Using tropes from classic escape room experiences, the public will feel the sense of inescapability and the inhumanity of the conditions.
The experience is designed to be a sensory and emotional confrontation of a reality where you have no say over who you share your intimate living space with, cannot adjust the heating in a damp, cold room, and cannot choose when or what you eat. With a broken clock on the wall, the No Escape Room highlights the endless waiting of those inside the ‘temporary’ accommodation, marking the two-year average it takes those seeking safety to receive a decision. Crucially, the installation also offers people the chance to take action, because they have the chance to influence these policies by writing to their local MP.
Colette Batten-Turner, founder and CEO at Conversation Over Borders comments: “Contrary to what some politicians and media claim, temporary accommodation hotels are far from luxury. Across the country we’ve seen pests, damp, racism, dirty conditions, and even a lack of food and baby formula. People we work with, including children, have fallen ill from food poisoning, and some feel suicidal, trapped in what feels like a prison without a sentence. It doesn’t have to be this way – the Home Office could invest in social housing that offers dignity and safety for everyone. This is why we’re calling on people to contact their local MP asking them to stand for safe and humane accommodation for people seeking asylum.”
The campaign from Conversation Over Orders has been developed with support of Ben & Jerry’s, with a key focus on ensuring the initiative is grounded in the lived experiences of people seeking asylum.
Mathilda Della-Torre, UK Social Mission Manager at Ben & Jerry’s, explains: “The Government is making crucial decisions about accommodation for people seeking asylum right now. This is our chance to ensure adults, children and families aren’t left in prison-like accommodation for exercising their fundamental human right to seek protection. We ask our fans to join us in calling for an end to dangerous accommodation and ask their MP to support safe and humane accommodation by signing Conversation Over Border’s petition. ”
The No Escape Room installation will be open to the public at Truman Brewery, Shoreditch on Thursday 6th November for the day from 9am-5pm. Visitors will be encouraged to learn more about the UK asylum system and discover how they can support the partner charities working on the front line, including calling on MPs.
