'˜I hope the money we have been giving to the EU will be spent on our schools and our NHS'

Residents of a Doncaster community which is well known for migrant populations have spoken out about Britain's decision to leave the EU.
Hexthorpe, DoncasterHexthorpe, Doncaster
Hexthorpe, Doncaster

Those living in Hexthorpe are among those who have strong views on the EU referendum decision.

Tensions have been high between the long standing residents and the migrant communities for some time.

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Police have been involved in taking action to deal with alleged antisocial behaviour, and complaints have been made to the authorities over issues such as flytipping.

Many of those we approached for their views on the referendum result did not speak English.

Some of those we overheard speaking on their phones were speaking of how pleased they were that Britain was to leave the EU.

One migrant living in Hexthorpe who spoke to us, who did not want her name publishing, said she was not concerned for the future.

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She said she moved to Doncaster three and a half years ago with her mother and her daughter, said she was not concerned about the vote to leave.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said:“All I can do is keep doing the same as I do every day, getting up and going to work and doing my job.

“I am an immigrant, but I am not worried because I have been here for a long time, I can speak good English and I have a job. This is just like any other normal day to me.

The mum, who has been working in some of the borough’s hotels since she arrived in the town, said she moved to Britain from her native Poland for a better life and doesn’t want to have to leave Doncaster.

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“I like it here, this is my home and I want to stay. I will do what I need to do to stay. I didn’t need any special documents to be able to get here, just a national entrance number, but if it gets to a point where they say I need to get a visa or some kind of special documentation to stay here then I will do what I can to get it, until then I just keep living my life.

“I could have moved to another country and got another job, I got one here within a week, but I liked Doncaster.”

“Also, my daughter is too young to understand politics, but she learnt English within a year and is now really happy at school here, she has friends and I wouldn’t want to move her.”

The 38-year-old said that although friends and family back in Poland have been worried for her future, but she is pleased people took their chance to make their voices heard.

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“I have had people from back home messaging me to ask if I am coming back and I have said no.

“I actually think it is good that people had their say and they made this vote. I am not surprised that people voted out, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if the vote had been in either. I didn’t know which way the vote was going to go, as people that I spoke to, like those at work, seemed to divided.”

She added that some other Hexthorpe residents are concerned about her because of the result.

“I know some people who can’t speak English and have already struggled to get jobs are worried now. I think those people who can’t speak English will be more affected by this.

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“If people are here and they speak English and have a job, I have told them not to worry. I have heard that any changes because of this will take at least two years to come in anyway, we just have to wait and see what is going to happen.”

Another Hexthorpe mother said she was extremely happy that Britain had chosen to leave the European Union.

Gemma Nixon, of Urban Road, said she had been up most of Thursday night waiting for the result to be announced.

The 25-year-old, who was still wearing a ‘take back control, leave’ badge on Friday morning, said: “I’m really happy. I voted leave because I wanted change.

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“There have been cuts to local services, the local council is cutting services because they say they can’t afford them. I hope now some of the money that we have been giving to the EU will be spent on getting local services back.

“It is our money, we have made it and it should be spent on our people. I hope the money will be put in to our schools and our NHS.”

“It’s hard because you get good people in every community, I know some of the immigrants who have come over here have jobs and families and they are lovely, and I know some English people are horrible, but I think we need to start focusing on our people and our country and they should focus on theirs, she added.

“My son is three and will start school in September, and I have another baby due then. I want them both to go to Hexthorpe Primary school and get a proper education.

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“At the moment, people struggle to get their children in to schools of their choice because we are competing with other children who aren’t from here. I don’t think it should be like that. I’m hoping things will start to change for the better now.”