A FAMILY are calling for support as Siphiwe Moyo faces deportation after 12 years living in the UK.

Piwie, as she prefers to be called, provides full-time care to Yvie Gade, a former Farnham woman who suffered a burst aneurysm in her brain ten years ago in June. It has left her quadriplegic with no free movement, no speech and tube fed.

Yvie, aged 60, now lives with her wife Karen Attwell, aged 58, in Taunton, Somerset.

Piwie lives with the family four weeks out of five and has done for the last eight-and-a-half years.

“The Home Office refused to renew Piwie’s work permit three years ago, and she was told she must return to Zimbabwe, her home country,” said Karen.

She is now in the process of lodging a fresh asylum appeal.

Karen told the Herald the Home Office thinks 34 year-old Piwie is “just a carer” and can be replaced. “But she’s our family,” said Karen.

She added the Home Office didn’t have to justify why Piwie is facing deportation. “But we have to find a reason for her to stay,” she said.

“They’ve just decided she’s one of the many Zimbabweans being sent back.

“Piwie is really very upset.

“She’s such a cheerful person. She brightens everyone’s life.

“She’s a breath of fresh, but we’ve noticed she’s been having down time and spending time in her room – it’s not like her. She said, ‘Karen, I could die’. It’s not worth thinking about.”

Yvie’s mum still lives in Farnham. “She has also been so upset because she’s concerned something will happen to Yvie if they take Piwie away – it makes us feel so powerless,” Karen said.

“This is affecting our lives and we can’t do anything about it.

“It’s dreadful.”

Karen has been trying to get support from the government. She said she had written to 25 MPs but had received a response from only one.

She wants “a voice from the government” to ask the Home Office to take another look at it.

The couple’s granddaughter even wrote a letter pleading: “Don’t take Piwie away from our nanny”.

Karen said: “We have a lot of fun in our house. The Home Office has really pushed us all down.

“I thought I knew what immigration was about until this experience. They must do this to lots of people.”

She described Piwie as “bold and beautiful”, adding that when she returned from her week off, Yvie’s “eyes sparkle, like someone’s given her a booster”.

“Piwie is that for Yvie. She gives her energy.”

Karen continued: “I was despairing about the level of care we were getting before Piwie. I was appalled at some of the standards we were getting from agencies.

“It’s taken nearly ten years to get a good team together that’s consistent.”

As well as helping Yvie become more confident, Piwie had put in a lot of work one-to-one with Yvie, said Karen.

They are currently working on a computer system that would allow Yvie to communicate and potentially speak up for Piwie in court. They are hoping to have something working “later this year”.

Karen added everything she writes regarding Piwie’s case “goes past Yvie”. “We will ask Yvie whether she wants more added to a letter, and she responds ‘yes’ or ‘no’ with her eyes.

“It’s something she’s participated in. She’s very much a part of the decision making in this house.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “All applications are considered on their individual merits, on the basis of the evidence available and in line with UK immigration rules. Any new evidence submitted will be reviewed and considered”.