'Town is not racist, but riot fired migrant fear'

"Tamworth is not a racist town at all. We're a great community. We're welcoming and inclusive".

The words of vicar Andrew Lythall are in stark contrast to last summer's riots sparked by migrants being housed in the town's Holiday Inn Express - one of a series of disturbances that flared over three girls' murders in Southport.

False rumours quickly spread of the killer being an illegal immigrant, and in Tamworth too there were unfounded claims of migrants being treated better than locals, who continue to struggle to survive in a cost-of-living crisis.

Six months on social tensions undoubtedly remain, but residents are keen to tell the BBC that communities also pulled together after the unrest.

The Staffordshire town, known for its Mercian history, has a population of about 80,263 people, having grown steadily over the past decade.

Census figures from the Office of National Statistics in 2021 found nearly 96% of people in the town identified as White.

Following the Tamworth disturbances, one man was recently jailed for encouraging people to set fire to the hotel, with two other men also sentenced for their involvement after they admitted violent disorder.

However, many locals feel it is vital to tell the story of the Tamworth they know and love.

St Editha's Parish Church, where Mr Lythall has worked for two years, is at the heart of the community and brings people together.

It has been holding English classes for refugees and also offers sessions where they can come along to meet local residents.

Mr Lythall said because of such events he had noticed a positive shift in perceptions within the local area.

"We had one lady who came into the church and she was really against the idea of asylum seekers being welcomed here," he explained.

"But after she had a cup of coffee and had a chat to a couple of them about their experience and their journey and their story she came away saying, 'You know what, these people are really welcome in our community, what can I do to help?'."

For Mr Lythall, 38, the riots showed that more needs to be done to make a real difference for those who need it most.

"I've lived all over the country and this is one of the best places I've ever lived, it's a brilliant community," he added.

Beyond the church, a group of community leaders and young people recently came together to make a film "We Are Tamworth", to boost community cohesion and counter the unwelcome images captured during the riots.

Also working hard is Community Together Tamworth (CTT), which was set up by a community interest company, with all the profits they make benefitting those who live in the town.

Lee Bates, its chief operating officer, said lots of misinformation about migrants had led to a real divide between what was perception and reality.

"Afterwards, the community really rallied around, there were people turning up with brooms, brushes to help with the clean-up," he said of the unrest in August.

But he said there needs to be more education around the asylum process as there was a misconception of a "fast track lane" for services for asylum seekers.

"There seems to be a perception that somebody stands at the border and lets everybody in, whereas actually we know that the Home Office have quite a rigorous interview and investigation process as to why someone's in the country," Mr Bates said.

"I've even heard people say they're given mobile phones, they're given cars, they're given houses and again, from personal experience, none of that is true."

While there's sympathy for asylum seekers, and condemnation for the violence witnessed in Tamworth, there is also concerns about how the wider community feels it is being treated.

Market trader Martin Bowater, said people in the country were "fed up" and "genuinely struggling", unable to pay their rent, or gas and electricity bills.

"The bills have gone up for the British public, pensioners can't afford to put the fire on and yet there's people appearing to be treated much better than a British citizen, hotels, free dental, food," he said.

"I don't know how people do it – two or three kids and the rent to pay."

As the fishmonger on Tamworth market for 17 years, the 59-year-old is used to speaking to lots of people locally.

The general feeling in the area since the riots, he said, is that people understand migrants are coming from persecution, but they should come the "proper way, not on a boat".

Parties like Reform UK were only getting bigger because their politicians were saying the right things, he added.

"You've got to look after you own people and once you've looked after your own, if there's any spare change you can look after other people, but if you're a government that's not looking after your own, you're on the way out," Mr Bowater said.

Elsewhere Ben Newman, aka Spudman, has been selling his famous jacket potatoes in the town for 22 years.

Everyone was welcome in Tamworth, he said, and the riot was not a representation of people in the town.

"I love this town, we do so much about promoting it and getting people here," Mr Newman said.

"!I was kind of almost a bit disappointed that that kind of set it back a bit."

Mr Newman, who joined TikTok to promote his business in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, has been praised for using his profile to promote the town.

He said he hoped Tamworth could move on positively in the wake of the disturbances.

"It's not who we are," he said. "We want Tamworth to be known for the good things not the bad.

"We just need to shout about our great town, how much we love it, so I'll do anything to get the word out there."

Across town at the Helping Hands café - set up by CTT - asylum seekers who can't work legally while their claims are being processed, have been volunteering.

Ruach Dakbilu has been in Tamworth since November, after arriving in London the previous month.

Originally from South Sudan, he and his family fled the country when he was 12, after war erupted in the capital Juba.

The now 25-year-old spoke of how they all made it to Uganda, but he had become separated from them and for years he did not feel safe. His father was later killed, making his fears even worse.

"It took me five years just to talk to my mum on the phone," he said.

In contrast, Mr Dakbilu said the people of Tamworth had been "so friendly" since he arrived.

"If I find new people they actually become my family, because it has been a long time without living with my family," he said.

"I really need them to understand that we come here to look for a safe environment and not because we are bringing any harm or any other things to you."

Students at Landau Forte Tamworth Sixth Form told the BBC they had attended many school assemblies, with the aim of bringing people together.

"We had assemblies looking at how we could reflect on what they did and we got taught how we can keep out of the negative stuff and focus on the positive and maybe try and help what's going on in the community," said Connor, 12.

Another pupil, Raja, 14, said the town came together as a community to support each other.

Jack Priest 18, said one of the main reasons the riots occurred was because of ignorance or not being aware of different cultures.

"So, I think the main thing that school attempted to do was make sure that a lot of those students and the younger students too were educated so that, in the future, this sort of thing doesn't happen again," he said.

For Mr Bates, having "honest conversations" with people around why they have particular views on asylum seekers and getting them involved in volunteering was key.

"When you've got issues in society going on, it's always easy to pick on a group of people who don't have a voice in our society," he said.

"The community have really rallied round to show that didn't represent the majority view and that the community spirit is really what drives Tamworth."