Last week, it was announced after much speculation that migrants would be housed in former military sites across the country; namely, RAF Barnham, MoD Bicester and RAF Linton-on-Ouse.
I live in the nearest town near to RAF Barnham, Thetford, and on Sunday went along to a protest there about the accommodation plan. I have my own concerns about the move, given I live here with my wife and daughter. But I’m also a relatively new arrival to the area and so mainly went to hear from people who have been here for a longer time.
Some flew Union Jacks, some had homemade placards, but most were just there as a desperate plea for someone in Whitehall to take notice
Plans to use the base for asylum seekers had been rumoured on local forums for weeks before the announcement, as blacked out buses arrived and activity on the site increased. For a base that normally only sees police or cadet training, it was obvious to residents that something was going on. People sought answers from local MPs such as Terry Jermy, but in the end our politicians seemed just as surprised as everyone else when the announcement was finally made about RAF Barnham.
Barnham itself is a sleepy Norfolk village, with old thatched cottages, a medieval church and a primary school. With around 600 residents, the village is not equipped for the influx of what is likely to be around 1,200 people. Thetford, by contrast, is much larger, and as the nearest town to RAF Branham, its concerned residents made up the bulk of the protestors.
