Simon Hulstone is supporting the fight by 18-year-old Ali a teenage trainee chef at his Michelin starred restaurant, The Elephant, against being sent back to a distressing life in poverty-ravaged Albania.
Ali survived the infamous ‘Jungle’ refugee camp in Calais and he was able to get to England on the back of a lorry, arriving in Bristol at the tender age of 16 two years ago. He then crossed Italy and France to head to England as he knew a little English. After then facing sleeping out in a park in Bristol Ali found some help through the local Bristol council.
The family who offered him temporary foster care have told the Bristol Post ‘he is a shining example of how, given the opportunity, someone can thrive and contribute to the UK’.
Ali then met Simon Hulstone through an event in Bristol and the chef invited him to work in The Elephant, first on work experience then offered a job following his application to his work. We understand he is thriving following being given this opportunity by Hulstone.
Ali faces a return to Albania where the criminal gang culture he ran away from will exercise awful retribution on him for leaving, as a lesson to others that may consider exiting their world.
We understand that there needs to be stringent rules on refugees entering the UK, but – as Ali has demonstrated a willingness and application to developing much needed skills in a UK industry short on those skills, where is the sense in that?