Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) has at its core the values of advocacy, service and accompaniment to support refugees worldwide. It aims to empower the most vulnerable in our society, without trying to convert them. I am currently a volunteer at JRS UK, after moving from my work as a staff attorney at Catholic Charities Refugee Service in New York. JRS UK stands out because of its unique commitment to accompanying refugees beyond the strict legal duty of giving them protection.

JRS UK runs a lively day centre for destitute asylum seekers and refugees regardless of faith. The day centre is a wonderful place to meet others from different backgrounds, and different countries, with different skill sets, and different aspirations. To help day centre visitors cope with the stress of waiting for legal status, JRS UK also offers a variety of programmes. One I am particularly involved in is the Teach Refugee Women To Cycle programme, which JRS delivers in partnership with The Bike Project. Female refugees who may have never cycled before or had any means of independent transportation, learn to ride on the roads of London, and graduate with a bicycle, a helmet and a sense of freedom. 

JRS UK is a recycling point for old bicycles which our charity partner, The Bike Project, collects for the refugees. For this ride, I decided to cycle on one of The Bike Project's second hand bikes, refurbished by refugees. 

More information about JRS UK is linked here:

www.jrsuk.net

Further information about the Teach Refugee Women To Cycle programme can be found here:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2015/jul/13/learning-cycle-helping-london-asylum-seekers