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Shoppers at cosmetics store LUSH have passed on their messages of support onto people seeking asylum and refugees as the high street chain marked national Refugee Week 2009. LUSH, which teamed up with Refugee Action for the second time to mark the annual celebrations, donated bars of LUSH soap. The soap was distributed to asylum seekers who had been left destitute and banned from working, therefore unable to afford items like toiletries.

Throughout Refugee Week, customers at participating stores wrote their personal message on ‘Welcome to Britain’ postcards which were distributed to people seeking asylum who are most in need.

Customers were also encouraged to get involved in Refugee Week’s Simple Acts campaign, encouraging people to choose one or more of 20 actions that help them learn more about refugees and welcome them to the UK, as well as shoppers given the chance to see Refugee Action’s new film ‘Forced to Flee’.

Sandy Buchan, Chief Executive at Refugee Action, said: “This year’s Simple Acts campaign encourages people to take part in activities such as watching a film about refugees or ‘sharing your sweets’, which encourages people to donate items to charities that help destitute asylum seekers.

LUSH stores have got on board with this particular Simple Act and are kindly donating approximately 250 bars of soaps to our offices and to destitution projects, which will go to those who are most in need. Basically every postcard filled in will mean that someone gets a months supply of soap!"