Local Friends and Partner Organisations
GLOUCESTERSHIRE ACTION FOR REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS
GARAS offers a wide range of assistance to those seeking asylum in Gloucestershire, advocating for them when they face legal difficulties, providing counselling and resources, and helping them plan for their long term future if they’re recognised as refugees. GARAS have a strong presence in the county, acting as a diligent and capable support network for the past twenty years.
Lives of Colour
Lives of Colour provide consultation for organisations and businesses interested in taking action to promote anti-racist values and develop inclusion strategies. CWR are creating a reading group in collaboration with them so that we can decolonise our own habits and mindsets.
REFUGEES AT HOME
Refugees at Home is a small charity that finds short or long-term housing for refugees in the homes of ordinary citizens. CWR are in the process of developing a Refugees at Home hub in Cheltenham, and would love to hear from other people interested in signing up to host. Cheltenham’s first RaH host, Polly, wrote a piece about hosting, which can be read here.
CHELTENHAM FAITH GROUPS
Local faith-based communities have played a big part in helping support refugees, primarily through fundraising and lending us space to host events. We are especially grateful to St Thomas More Church, Cheltenham, and C3 Church Cheltenham. If you’d like to get involved or act as a point of liaison, please contact Bill at flynn.bill1@gmail.com.
University of gloucestershire
The University has an active Student Group supporting refugees and asylum seekers (Gloucestershire STAR). The University itself offers a sanctuary scholarship supporting a student with refugee status or who is seeking asylum. The University continues to support CWR in all sorts of ways, including providing a venue for our regular summer picnic!
CHELTENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL
The local council have been instrumental in arranging for our Syrian families to come to Cheltenham in the first place on the Government scheme, and for establishing housing places for people seeking asylum. Their support led to Cheltenham becoming officially designated as a Town of Sanctuary, which sets an important precedent for local action and intention.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE NIGHTSTOP
Providing overnight emergency housing, Gloucestershire Nightstop works in coordination with GARAS. Asylum seekers immediately lose all government support once they reach refugee status, and Nightstop helps to close the gap between safety and homelessness.
CHELTENHAM QUAKERS
The Friends Meeting in Cheltenham is an official Sanctuary Meeting - this means that they stand for anti-racism and actively welcome migrants, refugees and vulnerable people. They’ve helped CWR significantly with offering space to meet, host public meetings, and work - the hub for people seeking asylum is based at Cheltenham Friends Meeting House, and it continues to make a big difference to our operations.
CHELTENHAM VOLUNTEER TEACHERS
CVT is a group of trained English teachers who sensitively assist those who wish to develop their English language skills. They always appreciate new volunteers - check out their website below for more information.
COMMUNITY INTERPRETING COURSES
If you speak any of the following languages: Farsi, Dari, Amharic, French, Arabic, Tigrinya, Pashto, Somali, or Swahili, there are currently opportunities for paid freelance interpreting work at GARAS. This can make a profound difference to those in need. Please email nathalie.genes@btinternet.com for more information.
UNACCOMPANIED ASYLUM SEEKING CHILDREN (UASC) FOSTERING AGENCIES
Unaccompanied children arriving alone in the UK usually go into the care of their nearest public authority. If there’s no suitable family to care for them, they often live with approved foster carers. Gloucestershire County Council handle opportunities to foster UASCs, and can be contacted through their website. Fostering is perhaps the most life-changing act that a person can do for a refugee, and makes an enormous difference.
GAY GLOS
GayGlos have been working with asylum seekers and refugees who have escaped persecution in their home countries, where they often face the death penalty simply for expressing themselves, and for loving the people they love. They go through very difficult circumstances proving their cases to the Home Office. You can find a transcript of a talk Ian gave at one of our open meetings work here.
Everyman Cheltenham
Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre has been a stalwart supporter of CWR, their community work makes a huge difference to the activities CWR can provide, helping people to form connections and feel at ease with drama workshops and craft activities. Their work with us is led by their Head of Community Arts, Camille Cowe. You can read all about Camille’s work with us here.