Refugee Tales

Since 2015, Refugee Tales walkers have been embarking on small and large scale walks in solidarity with refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, and people who have been held in immigration detention. We have been met with kindness and hospitality every step of the way.

Working in collaboration with migrants and those who have experienced the UK asylum system - and taking Chaucer’s great poem of journeying as a model - established writers and people with lived experience of detention share their tales with local communities at evening events. We also enjoy live performances from renowned musicians, and our walkers are never too tired for dancing!

The tales we tell are published in four volumes by Comma Press. Some have been written collaboratively with authors such as Ali Smith, Nobel Prize winner Abdulrazak Gurnah, Kamila Shamsie, Patrick Gale, and Bernardine Evaristo. Others are first-hand accounts told directly by the people who experienced them.

In sharing these stories, Refugee Tales gathers and communicates experiences of migration, and we seek to show the reality of immigration detention. As we walk, we create a space in which the language of welcome is the prevailing discourse.

(Copyright for header image above: UNHCR/Andrew Testa.)

Feedback from The Walk of 2023

­“This is a beautiful community. The ripples in people’s lives after the walk is one of the most beautiful things.”

“I feel grateful to walk in solidarity with asylum seekers and refugees. The people are welcoming. It is well organised – seamless. It is a joy to walk through stunning countryside and have the opportunity to reflect on why I want the UK to be a welcoming nation. Be the change you want to see.”

“Hearing other people’s testimony gives me hope […] We are all seeking safety and a better life […] You were beside me when my story was shared, I had to take courage and be brave. I thought, just let me be myself […] Hearing the tale, I was remembering everything and the way the guy was saying it, it was like I am seeing it for real. The journey to Refugee Tales was a success for me. I found love.”

The Walk of 2024

From Saturday 6th - Wednesday 10th July, Refugee Tales is walking from Edenbridge to Westminster.

Every day, we will walk between 8 and 11 miles, and our route takes us from northern Kent to Westminster, crossing the North Downs and going through green corridors into London. The easiest walk is on Day 5 and the most strenuous is Day 2. Our evening events will take place in Oxted, Caterham, Wallington, Wandsworth, and Westminster.

At our lunchtime stops, we will pause to eat, rest, hear talks, and reflect on this year's theme, summarised here by David Herd, Co-Editor of Refugee Tales :

The theme of Refugee Tales 2024 is human rights. This is the second time that the project has taken human rights as its theme. In 2018, to mark the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the project asserted that indefinite detention is a direct breach of a person’s human rights. As Article 9 of the Declaration states: ‘No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.’ Since 2018, the status of human rights has been continuously eroded by UK legislation. Both the Nationality and Borders Act and the Illegal Migration Act have been deemed by the UNHCR to be in breach of the UK’s commitment to the 1951 Refugee Convention.

In calling for a future without detention, and for an immediate end to indefinite detention, Refugee Tales also calls for a re-commitment to human rights. The project re-asserts that no one should be subjected to arbitrary detention. It also insists that, in the event that indefinite detention is ended, that change of policy must apply to all. A future without human rights, and without clear political commitment to such rights, is a future of division, persecution, and vulnerability. In 2024, once again, human rights is the theme of the Refugee Tales walk.

There will be public evening events on Saturday - Tuesday, and a private finale event for everyone walking to Westminster on Wednesday.

From Saturday - Tuesday, we will share an evening meal before connecting with the local community for a Refugee Tales evening event, hosted in the manner of the Canterbury Tales. Our hosts will bring us together as we listen to readings from Refugee Tales, enjoy performances from musicians, and enact the hospitality and welcome we walk for.

Tickets:

Walkers can book Full Walker 5-Day tickets, which cover 5 guided walks, overnight accommodation, breakfasts, lunches, evening meals, and all evening events.

Our lunches and evening meals will be prepared by professional caterers.

Please note that walkers who wish to stay with us overnight must be 18+. To walk without a guardian, people must be 18+ or 16+ with written consent from a guardian.

We also offer individual Day Walk tickets, which cover a guided walk, an evening meal, and the evening event. You are welcome to book multiple Day Walk tickets if you wish to organise your own accommodation and join the walks on multiple days.

Please note, to attend a day walk without a guardian, people must be 18+ or 16+ with written consent from a guardian.

Concessions:

Please note that we offer a concessionary Full 5-Day Walk Ticket and a 35% discount on our Day Walk Tickets. The concessionary code and more information about each of the walks and ticket types is available when you proceed to the 'Tickets' page.

We do not wish to discourage anyone from joining us on financial grounds. If you would like to join us but the cost is not affordable please get in touch by emailing Anna: anna@gdwg.org.uk

The Route

Full Walkers Registration and Accommodation - Friday 5th July

On Friday 5th July our 5-day Full Walkers will gather at Edenbridge Village Hall in the afternoon from 5 pm. We will share a buffet meal, have introductory talks, and enjoy each other's company before getting an early night in anticipation of the next day's walk. Some of us will be staying here overnight; others will be accommodated at St Lawrence Church (TN8 5AQ), a 2-minute walk away.

Meeting point: Edenbridge Village Hall, Station Rd, Edenbridge, TN8 5LX

Edenbridge Village Hall is right outside Edenbridge Town Station

Day 1 - Edenbridge to Oxted - Saturday 6th July

The Walk (9 miles)

Registration: 9 am

The nearest train station is Edenbridge Station (TN8 6HR).

(NOT Edenbridge Town Station TN8 5LP - please note that if you are arriving at Edenbridge Town station this is a 20-30 minute walk from our registration point near Edenbridge Station). The registration point will be shared in the lead-up to the walk.

N.B. Day Walkers, please remember to bring a packed lunch.

The route:

There is one steeper section up Trevereux Hill, just before our lunch stop, which everyone can take at their own pace.

This day is very rural and attractive with plenty of oak woods. The route goes through the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Beauty.

Our route takes us north out of Edenbridge towards Crockham Hill. From there we walk west through Limpsfield Common and into Oxted, our destination.

The Evening Event: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Venue: Oxted URC, 21 Bluehouse Ln, Oxted RH8 0AA

Travel:

• Train: Oxted URC is a 5-minute walk from Oxted Train Station and the town centre.
• Bus: The 410 (from Redhill), 594, and 595 all have a request stop at Bluehouse Lane, a couple of minutes' walk away from the URC.
• Car: There are limited car park spaces on the Church grounds. On weekdays from 8:30 am to 6 pm, parking in Bluehouse Lane is controlled, but at the weekend and in the evening there are usually free spaces available.

Evening Event lineup: We will notify you once this is released. Your walk tickets include entrance to the evening events but if your friends and family would like to join you, there will be a separate Eventbrite page for them to book their place.

Accommodation

Full Walkers' accommodation: Oxted URC, 21 Bluehouse Ln, Oxted RH8 0AA

Day 2 - Oxted to Caterham - Sunday 7th July

The Walk (9.5 miles)

Registration: 9 am

The nearest train station is Oxted Station. The registration point will be shared in the lead-up to the walk

N.B. Day Walkers, please remember to bring a packed lunch.

The route:

This walk includes a short steep section walking up on to the top of the North Downs.

From Oxted we walk north, crossing the M25 on a road bridge. Our route then goes west and steeply up on to the ridge of the North Downs. Once we have completed the steep climb, we walk along the ridge enjoying views south over the Weald. The footpath goes through woodlands and is very pretty. From the North Downs Way, we turn north and into Caterham, our destination.

The Evening Event: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Venue: Caterham URC, 1 Harestone Hill, Caterham CR3 6SX

Travel:

• Train: Caterham URC is a 3-minute walk from Caterham Train Station
• Bus: Numerous bus services arrive in Caterham Valley from all directions, Croydon, Purley, Redhill, Reigate, Warlingham, Godstone, East Grinstead, etc. Of these, only the 407, from Sutton, Croydon and Purley, runs until late at night. This stops at the station, so it is a 3-minute walk from the Church.
• Car: The Church has 26 parking spaces, but these often fill quickly. Street parking in Harestone Valley Road and Harestone Hill is permitted all day Sunday. Visitors may use Morrison's car park free of charge for three hours during the day, or in the evening between 7 and 11 pm. The entrance to this car park lies directly opposite the church, only two or three minutes walk away.

Evening Event lineup: We will notify you once this is released. Your walk tickets include entrance to the evening events but if your friends and family would like to join you, there will be a separate Eventbrite page for them to book their place.

Accommodation

Full Walkers' accommodation: Caterham URC, 1 Harestone Hill, Caterham CR3 6SX

Day 3 - Caterham to Wallington - Monday 8th July

The Walk (10 miles)

Registration: 9 am

The nearest train station is Caterham. The registration point will be shared in the lead-up to the walk.

N.B. Day Walkers, please remember to bring a packed lunch.

The route:

We leave Carshalton going West towards the tiny and ancient Church at Chaldon, where we will have a stop. We then walk into the delightful Happy Valley and up to Farthing Down, where we will get our first glimpses of the City of London on the skyline. We drop down into Coulsdon in the valley. From there we continue northwards through country lanes to Carshalton on the Hill. It is then a short walk to Wallington, our destination.

The Evening Event: 7:00 pm - 8.30 pm

Venue: Holy Trinity Church, Maldon Road, Wallington, London, SM6 8BL

Travel:

• Train: Wallington Station is a 5-minute walk away. There is no underground station but overground trains run regularly from Victoria Station (taking approx 40 mins) and Croydon (taking around 6 mins) to Wallington. From the station, turn left on to Manor Road and you will see the spire of Holy Trinity Church.
• Car: There is free but limited parking along Maldon Road, Alcester Road and Harcourt Road, the surrounding streets around the church. The church car park on Maldon Road has 18 parking bays, 3 of which are reserved for disabled use. Because parking is limited, please consider whether you need to come by car.

Evening Event lineup: We will notify you once this is released. Your walk tickets include entrance to the evening events but if your friends and family would like to join you, there will be a separate Eventbrite page for them to book their place.

Accommodation

Full Walkers' accommodation: Holy Trinity Church, Maldon Road, Wallington, London, SM6 8BL

Day 4 - Wallington to Wandsworth - Tuesday 9th July

The Walk (10.5 miles)

Registration: 9 am.

The nearest station is Wallington. The registration point will be shared in the lead-up to the walk.

N.B. Day Walkers, please remember to bring a packed lunch.

The route:

This day we will explore the River Wandle. This river which flows from Carshalton to the Thames at Wandsworth, was once a polluted river with many factories alongside it. It has been restored and is now a wildlife-rich river with woodland alongside it, named the Wandle Trail. It is a very restful walk – hard to believe that it goes through a busy part of London. Towards the end we will walk west to Holy Trinity Church, Wandsworth, our final destination.

The Evening Event: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Venue: Holy Trinity Church, Beaumont Road, London SW19 6SP

Travel:

• Train: Holy Trinity Church is a 20-minute walk from Putney Station or you can catch a bus (170) from Clapham Junction Station and alight at the West Hill stop, which is a couple of minutes away by foot.
• Car: There is limited parking onsite.

Evening Event lineup: We will notify you once this is released. Your walk tickets include entrance to the evening events but if your friends and family would like to join you, there will be a separate Eventbrite page for them to book their place.

Accommodation

Full Walkers' accommodation: Holy Trinity Church, Beaumont Road, London SW19 6SP

Day 5 - Wandsworth/Clapham to Westminster- Wednesday 10th July.

Please note, the evening event on this day is only for people walking from Wandsworth to Westminster. This will be a private celebratory event.

The Walk (8 miles)

Registration: 10 am (subject to change - we will keep you updated)

The nearest train station is Clapham Junction. The registration point will be shared in the lead-up to the walk.

N.B. Day Walkers, please remember to bring a packed lunch.

The route:

Our walk takes us through Clapham Common where we will stop at Holy Trinity Church, which has a memorial to William Wilberforce, for a talk. We then walk north through residential street to Battersea Park. We will have our lunch at the northern end of Battersea Park overlooking the River Thames. After lunch we cross the River Thames and walk north through leafy street to Buckingham Palace. From the Palace we will walk through Green Park and on to St James Piccadilly where we will have a stop. After out stop we will walk through Whitehall (past St James Park where we may see the Pelicans) to the Houses of Parliament.

Venue: There will be a welcome reception for walkers before our private finale event in Westminster. This will include a live music performance and other surprises! More details to be announced.