Our campaign is now complete. 110 supporters helped us raise £12,200.00
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Visit the charity's profileWhen I first arrived at Bristol Refugee Rights welcome centre, I realised that the name is perfect for this place. The staff really mean what they do. I felt so welcomed and looked after. The team did the best in every way and they saved me. - Gayesha
Bristol Refugee Rights (BRR) is the largest charity in the city to offer support to asylum seekers and refugees. We are the only organisation in Bristol to offer specialist advice regarding housing, financial help, healthcare and support to navigate the asylum system, as well as supporting those in more complex situations. In addition, through our Welcome Team, we offer a range of holistic services dedicated to improving the mental and physical wellbeing of our members (service users). Last year we supported 1120 people from at least 56 different countries and they spoke more than 29 different languages.
Over the last two years, the number of people who have needed our services has tripled. There are around 1500 people seeking asylum in Bristol at any one time (including from Afghanistan and Ukraine), many of whom are in Home Office accommodation, but we estimate there are around 200 people in the city who have been refused asylum, and are now destitute and sofa-surfing, homeless or vulnerably housed.
People seeking sanctuary arrive in Bristol, often shortly after arriving in the UK, with barely more than the clothes they are wearing and reeling from their journey. Not surprisingly they are confused and do not understand the asylum process. Having fled persecution in their home country, many are traumatised, in poor health, do not speak English, socially isolated and missing their family and friends.
They are not allowed to work (except in very limited circumstances) which often leads to economic hardship. When an asylum claim is refused, which is the case for around 25% of applicants, people are left destitute, unless they can make another claim or agree to return to their country of origin.
People seeking asylum are given no choice over where they live and often face many months, sometimes years in cramped, temporary accommodation, a time which is often anxious and lonely for many. If they are placed in a hotel where meals are provided, they receive £8 a week, or £40.85 per week if in a room in a shared property.
Many of the families we support in temporary accommodation have young children who have limited or no access to outdoor space, play equipment, or opportunities to socialise.
The holistic services offered by our Welcome Team are a lifeline to many of those seeking refuge in our city of Bristol, many of whom have suffered significant trauma and continue to struggle with the hostile environment.
At the core of our Welcome Team service is our weekly Welcome drop-in, which is a one stop shop for asylum seekers and refugees to get specialist legal advice, emotional and practical support.
Every week we open our doors to our members and offer a cup of tea, a chat, some hot food, a game of scrabble, craft activities, a free haircut, digital device data top ups and other basic necessities and importantly - a friendly smile and warm welcome. Our Welcome drop-in is often the first point of contact with BRR and it is here where we meet new members and assess their needs, explain how we can help and refer them to other services in the city.
We also offer free English classes (beginner to advanced) as well as other wellbeing classes such as mens and womens yoga and IT classes. BRR also provides a unique creche so parents can attend classes and our Welcome and Advice Drop-Ins. Every year we also organise a summer day trip to the beach - a welcome escape from the confines of the city and chance to soak up the summer sunshine by the sea.
The Welcome drop-in is hosted in part by our volunteers and member-volunteers. It provides a vital space where asylum seekers and refugees can connect with each other and improve wellbeing at what is often a challenging time for many.
For those people seeking sanctuary housed in hotels on the outskirts of the city who can not afford to travel to us, our Asylum Guides provide outreach support. They regularly visit hotels to meet residents and provide advice on how to navigate the asylum system and services available.
For Farah and her son Gabriel, our various Welcome services helped Garbiel with his child development and growth while granting Farah much needed and deserved space to relax, study and address her asylum claim. Farah told us that thanks to the Welcome Team:
I can chat to people and make friends and use the Creche because as a single mother its hard for me to get time to drink coffee or have any time to study. [At the same time] its helped him a lot to settle down with his anxiety and separation from me. It was hard for him to take eyes off me even for seconds because he would panic. Now he can be on his own as well.
Our Welcome Team provides a warm welcome as well as essential services to empower and transform the lives of those most in need. This year we need to raise £12,000 to enable us to deliver these vital services. Thank you for considering making a donation.
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