Every Wednesday since March 2021 a group of volunteers have come together to run a drop-in centre for asylum seekers housed at Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent. When we first opened the Napier Drop-in it was essential for the residents to have a welcoming, safe-space to seek advice and support and provide relief from their housing quarters. Over the past two years we have become a vital part of the support network for a transient population of destitute asylum seekers: around 300 residents at a time live at Napier Barracks for 60-90 days, so in a year the site can easily be home to more than 1,200 people who need our services to continue.

The Napier Drop-In provides access to a range of different activities and services which are not provided on site, including impartial refugee advice services and access to legal support. We work alongside supporting NGOs including Samphire Project, Jesuit Refugee Services, The Trinity Benefice, Humans for Rights Network, Doctors without Borders, Hear Me Out, and Art Refuge.

Activities include English language workshops, cooking, art and music therapy sessions and creative workshops to support mental health. One of our most popular activities is a T-shirt printing workshop - we are always blown away by the incredible designs and heartfelt messages for their loved ones. Many of the men have described the workshop as the 'best day ever'.

In order to continue to run these workshops and provide support to the residents of Napier Barracks, we are seeking to raise £5,000 to fund materials, and to develop and expand the range of workshops we currently deliver. The money will also go towards essential items including refreshments, toiletries, basic phone chargers and headphones, English learning materials, and warm accessories such as hats and gloves.

Our work was recently featured in The Guardian in a piece by Diane Taylor.