Easter woodland retreat for small boat migrants scrapped after backlash | UK | News

An Easter woodland event is planned immigrants It was scrapped after local backlash. Holiday home Wilderness Wood in Hadlow Down, East Sussex, had planned to host asylum seekers that day to help them settle in the UK.

The venue, which includes a forest school and campsite, is five and a half miles south of Crowborough. angry protests after immigrants arrived moved to nearby military barracks By the government. It was reported that the event on Wednesday, April 1, included a visit to the forest area to help immigrants adjust to life in Britain.

Amid already rising tensions, some locals voiced their opposition to the event, which reportedly led owners Dan Morrish and Emily Charkin to cancel it.

Jim Smith, 59, said: Daily Mail he knew the owners “pretty well” and was “shocked” that they thought they were expats visiting the place.

He said: “They said they wouldn’t do it now, but that only happened after there was a violent backlash. People are very upset about it.”

Facebook group Migrants on the Move said in a post on its account Tuesday that members opposed to the event would visit Wilderness Woods for a “peaceful and respectful meeting.”

Migrants on the Move’s post included a poster titled “Community Safety Notice, Protect Our Children.” It was stated that the group members will visit Wilderness Wood because the place is frequented by children and families.

In a post on its Facebook page, Wilderness Wood said it had abandoned plans to host a small group of refugees for a visit to the forest. He also stated that the venue does not accommodate asylum seekers and has no plans to do so.

An administrator of the Hadlow Down Facebook group described claims of migrants being housed at Wilderness Wood as social media-fuelled nonsense.

Migrants on the Move reported that members visited Wilderness Wood on Wednesday and after “talking” to the owners they were told the workshops would not go ahead.

The group called the apparent cancellation “a huge success for the community.”

Wilderness Wood has been approached for comment.