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The Wakefield pensioner inspiring British people to house Afghan refugees

The 76-year-old has inspired people up and down the country to open their homes to Afghans fleeing persecution

Georgina Pellant - 22nd August 2021

Wakefield pensioner Neil Waugh has been praised online for offering the spare room in his bungalow to Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban.

The 76-year-old took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce that he had room for two Afghan refugees in his Wakefield home and that he would be opening up his property to house two people in need.

He wrote: “I am a 76 years old pensioner, I live on my own in a 2 bedroom bungalow. I have today informed Wakefield Council I am willing and able to give 2 refugees accommodation in my spare room.”

Members of the online community quickly flooded in to praise the pensioner's actions, with one user @ScottMurphy13 commenting: "It's always "oh why don't you have them in your house then?", until someone says sure, I will. Then it's all "oh why arent you having homeless there instead". Give over, he's doing a good thing. Keep it up mate, need more like yourself in [sic] England."

However, in a follow-up tweet, Neil was quick to assert that he wasn't looking for praise but rather to show that "there's always something we can do" - even when we might feel helpless.

Neil, who describes himself as a "revolutionary socialist / marxist" added: “I see it as a gesture to people who have been put in an impossible position by the Western coalition, in Particular America, NATO, and us in the in the UK.”

It appears his actions have now also inspired others around the UK to do the same, with tens of thousands saying that Neil's offer had encouraged them to follow suit and offer their own homes to those fleeing the situation in Afghanistan.

Twitter user @collinsedmunds replied: "That’s fantastic and inspiring, I’m off to do the same! I have followed you for a while now because I liked what you wrote, now I think your amazing and wish you lived close so I could drop in for a cuppa and chat!"

Whilst user @Patrici89225734 said, "I'm 72 Neil and am going to do the same."

Another user @ellie46256165 said: "I have a spare room and am ready to help."

It comes as the British government launches its Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme, which will welcome up to 5,000 Afghans fleeing persecution in their home country to the UK within the next year.

In the long term, the program will aim to accommodate as many as 25,000 refugees to the country. Under the scheme, councils will be working with the government on the best places to house refugees.

The Prime Minister has said that women and children will be given priority status for relocation in the first year of the program.

To find out more about the government's Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme, click here.