REFUGEES fleeing the war in Syria could be able to move to Powys with the county council confirming it will join an official relocation programme.

Council leader Barry Thomas said the authority wants to ’offer a hand of friendship’ and it will join the Vulnerable Person’s Relocation Scheme which offers financial support to councils joining the relief effort.

Cllr Thomas, who leads the independent run council, said: "The council is deeply moved by the plight of the refugees fleeing the war in Syria and we want to offer a hand of friendship. In Powys we are eager to help and fully play our part in the co-ordinated national response to the refugee crisis.

"We will be working closely with the Welsh Local Government Association and Welsh Government to find ways to provide assistance to refugees across a range of issues such as housing, education and basic welfare. We will be doing this through the Vulnerable Person’s Relocation Scheme, which offers financial support to help councils provide relief.

"In Powys we can provide a safe and warm welcome to refugees who are in desperate need. We have a strong community spirit in our county, and desire to do what we can to help these vulnerable people who have been forced to flee the most horrendous conditions in their country."

This week Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed Britain would take 20,000 people from camps surrounding Syria over the next five years, with the priority given to vulnerable children.

However Britain has ruled out providing sanctuary to those refugees who have already reached mainland Europe. It is estimated more than 350,000 refugees and migrants have reached the borders of the European Union this year.

Ordinarily asylum seekers in Wales are offered accommodation in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Wrexham.

Brecon and Radnorshire MP Chris Davies said he supported the PM’s stance and claimed it would discourage others from risking their lives by crossing the Mediterranean.

The Conservative MP also said Powys council should ’play its part’ in accepting refugees.

"My mail bag has been full," said Mr Davies who said views had been ’mixed’ and added: "I have also had people stop me in the street in Brecon, Rhayader, Ystradgynlais and Hay and people have been telling me there is a limit to how much this country can help. I think that is quite right. A balance has to be reached and I think it has."

A support group Hay, Brecon & Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees has also been formed.

It has three aims; to campaign for the UK government to accept the EU quota system for a ’fair share’ of the refugees, ’to educate the public that this is a refugee crisis rather than a migrant issue’ and to encourage local support for sanctuary and respite for refugees.

"According to the UNHCR (the United Nation’s refugee agency), migrants, especially economic migrants, choose to move in order to improve the future prospects for themselves and their families, whereas refugees have to move if they are to save their lives or preserve their freedom," said Liz Meres who organised the groups’s first meeting in Hay.

Meanwhile former Coronation Street actress Krissi Bohn is staring in a play at Builth Wells’ Wyeside Arts Centre depicting the struggles of African asylum seeker detained in a British immigration detention centre.

The Bogus Woman will be staged at the Wyeside on Wednesday, September 16 with its two month tour coinciding with the on going European refugee crises.

Krissi, who played cabbie Lloyd’s daughter Jenna, in the ITV soap from 2012 to 2014, will be supported at the Wyeside by family and friends from Knighton.

The actress’ husband Ben Licence is originally from the Radnorshire town where she also been a regular visitor.

The sanctuary group will have a stall at this week’s Thursday market in Hay-on-Wye on September 10 to provide information about the refugee crisis, and a petition to sign to be sent to the government. On Saturday, September 12 there will also be a stall in Brecon.

Hay festival box office is currently a drop off point for contributions of good quality clothing and camping goods which will be distributed to refugees throughout Europe.

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For more on these stories see this week’s Brecon & Radnor Express - on sale now