To show solidarity during refugee week, a Suffolk vicar held a sleepover at St Peter's Church Holton aiming to show that issues around refugees are being "misunderstood". - Credit: Reverend Gini Williams

To show solidarity during refugee week, a Suffolk vicar held a sleepover at St Peter's Church in Holton - aiming to highlight "misunderstood" issues around refugees.

Alongside six members of the local church family, vicar of Blyth Valley Ministry Reverend Gini Williams set out her sleeping bag and mat to sleep overnight at the church on Monday, June 20.

They held a reflective service in recognition of the beginning of Refugee Week and prayed for people who are currently caught up in conflict - not only those in Ukraine, but all those forcibly displaced from their homes across the world.

Reverend Williams said:" We're all taught to love thy neighbour and we are all one in Christ, so the refugee situation really breaks my heart.

"I felt like I had to do something. This was our attempt at showing our solidarity.

"I think it was really important to help those who are angry with the way refugees are being treated and misunderstood to feel less alone."

Rev Williams agrees with church leaders who have condemned the government's plan to deport failed asylum seekers to Rwanda.

On Tuesday, June 14, the Rt Rev Martin Seeley, Bishop of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, accused the government's scheme of "punishing victims".

He said: "These are refugees fleeing danger, people whose lives have been torn apart by war, conflict or oppression, fleeing for their lives and many are longing to come to this country to join family and friends.

"People do not risk the perilous passage, that takes the last money they have, except to seek safety."

To mark the remainder of Refugee Week, Rev Williams also helped create a display in St Mary's Church addressing some of the false information surrounding refugees.

The rest of the services in Blyth Valley Churches this week will be centred around this theme and all collections will be donated to the United Nations Refugee Agency.

Rev Williams also added that she would like to commemorate Refugee Week again next year and said: "It's an opportunity to focus our thoughts and prayers amongst all the background noise."