Congratulations to Lydia and Bernard and to their solicitor Gary McIndoe, of Latitude Law, Manchester.

This is a great victory for Lydia and her husband Bernard .Lydia  who has been a member of the WAST managment group for the past three years, written and performed in the WAST play and led the WAST choir.She has always had the women of WAST behind her and she has been a great support herself to many of the WAST members despite going into detention herself twice , she never gave up.

Lydia and WAST members would like to thank all her supporters and all those who wrote letters, gave her a room in their house when she needed it , and were their for her to keep her going when it all looked so bleak, or rang her up in detention.

Also to all the support from CANS NW who gave her the encouragement their skills and time for the production of  two plays that she wrote, which gave her a very effective platform from which to talk about her own situation  and become a voice for the injustices that many women asylum seekers face.

 English PEN, the organisation which campaigns for persecuted writers internationally, has supported Lydia and Bernard’s campaign for the last three years.

Women For Refugee Women were as also crucial in their support and linking Lydia up to  high profile supporters  also include former Children’s Laureate and author of War Horse Michael Morpurgo, actor Juliet Stevenson, leading lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy, Stockport-born writer and broadcaster Baroness Joan Bakewell, and the Bishop of Manchester.