By Phil Wellbrook

The English Channel is a fair distance to travel by boat at the best of times, but imagine you have to make the journey without your family, you're escaping conflict and there's a chance you may not survive the trip.

Well that's exactly what many asylum seekers have gone through and now their journeys are being immortalised in artwork, and all to raise awareness of their talents and their story.

The exhibition launched this week at the Turner Contemporary in Margate, but now will now move to Deal Library until the end of June.

Phil Wellbrook went to the exhibition to find out more

Grmalem Kasa is a former asylum seeker who made his way over from Eritrea in East Africa.

He draws on the things he's seen during his travels and only began painting about his experiences when his foster carer encouraged him.

"When I did this art I didn't have anyone else", he said.

"She bought the canvas, brought it to my room, and supported me saying 'this is really good'.

"I didn't have anyone else."

Now living in the county, Grmalem arrived back in 2014 as a teenager and using trucks, boats and his own two feet, made his way across Europe, but leaving his family behind.

Read more

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In the last four years there have been 1,819 referrals of young asylum seekers who have arrived at the UK's shores.

"As part of refugee week we want to promote their ex and share their stories", said Nick Crick, from KCC, who oversees the strategic plan for asylum seekers.

"We also want to celebrate the work they've done as well as the care they're now in."

For more real life stories, click here.

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