Scottish Detainee Visitors

17/04/2026

We were deighted to take part in the detention episode of this series, produced by the Centre for the Critical Reimagining of Human Rights at the University of St Andrews.

In the episode, SDV director Kate and expert by experience Ben talk to Natasha Saunders and David Herd from the University of St Andrews about what it’s like to be detained, the costs and consequences of detention, and think about what ending immigration might look like.

Click to listen 👇👇👇

https://sdv.org.uk/latest-news/podcastseries

We were deighted to take part in the detention episode of this series, produced by the Centre for the Critical Reimagining of Human Rights at the University of St Andrews

19/03/2026

Know your Rights

If you or someone in your community, needs to quickly understand more about the UK immigration and asylum legal system then take a look at the Right to Remain Toolkit.

Written in a clear and accessible way, our Toolkit democratises knowledge that our community needs in order to exercise their rights and secure their right to remain.

Head to our website, slash toolkit https://righttoremain.org.uk/toolkit/

19/03/2026

We're recruiting new visitors!

If you'd like to offer support and solidarity to people detained in Dungavel, this is the opportunity for you.

We are especially keen to to hear from you if you’re a driver with a car that you’d be happy to use to drive other visitors to Dungavel.

Visits take place every Monday and Thursday evening and every second Wednesday morning.

You need to be over 18, with an interest in immigration and a commitment to offering friendly, non-judgemental support to people in detention.

Full training will be provided.

Click on the link below to apply

https://sdv.org.uk/join-us

14/01/2026

Our friends at AVID Detention have raised over £1,000 to support the work of visitor groups across the UK, which is brilliant news.

They're keeping their fundraiser open a little longer so do please like, share and donate if you can!

Help us raise funds for visitor groups in the AVID network to counter the separation and isolation faced by people in immigration detention across the UK.

28/12/2025

14/12/2025

Thanks to everyone who came to our fabulous fundraising ceilidh on Friday night. A great time was had by all, thanks to Dr Reelgood Ceilidh Band Edinburgh, our brilliant band, and Garnethill Multicultural Centre who provided the venue. Shout out too to SDV’s board who did sterling work on the bar and raffle sales.

We’ll do a proper calculation next week but it looks like we raised around £1,000 for our work supporting people detained in Dungavel.

If you didn’t manage to make it but would like to support our work, you can donate here: https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/19178 #!/DonationDetails

Merry Christmas! 🎄

10/12/2025

Our commitment to human rights only goes far as how we treat those whose rights are already at risk.

Join us this Human Rights Day in standing with people in immigration detention and donate to AVID Detention’s Christmas fundraising appeal: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/sharing-hope-with-people-in-detention.

None of us are free until all of us are free.”

Help us raise funds for visitor groups in the AVID network to counter the separation and isolation faced by people in immigration detention across the UK.

05/12/2025

The latest inspection report for Dungavel was published this week.
In our latest blog, SDV director, Kate Alexander reflects that even a 'good' inspection shows it's impossible to detain people indefinitely without causing harm.

Head to our website to read.

https://sdv.org.uk/latest-news/mb062ueksnfgyx7gubfzf539a8wt6l.

In our latest blog, SDV director, Kate Alexander considers HMIP’s Dungavel inspection report

03/12/2025

52% of people leaving detention are released to live in the community, so why were they ever detained? We are seeing more people detained when community alternatives are better for people's wellbeing and allow them to get to know their community.

27/11/2025

21/11/2025

There's been a lot of talk about the home secretarys proposals this week - here's some information from Detention Action about how they might impact detention.