Community organisations (outside London)
Community organisations (outside London)
This section provides information on community organisations outside London. The organisations we have listed welcome both men and women. If you want to go to a women only organisation, please see ‘Women’s organisations’. There are literally hundreds of community organisations that welcome asylum seekers and refugees. If we’ve missed yours out, please email the details to info@testimonyproject.org and we’ll include it for you. This section covers the following categories;
National organisations
Manchester
Leeds
Birmingham
Bristol
Newcastle
Devon/Cornwall
Liverpool/Merseyside
Nottingham
Sheffield
National organisations
Refugee Council
This is also a good place to start to find community organisations in your area. Contact RC to find your local branch, or visit one of their four ‘one stop shops’.
240-250 Ferndale Road, Brixton, London SW9 8BB (head office)
Tel: 02073 466 700 Fax: 02073 466 701
Multikulti
This website provides information on community organisations throughout the UK, some of which are exclusively for or welcoming towards asylum seekers. The website provides information in 10 languages; choose a language first, and then the region you would like to browse.
Refugee Action
Visit this website’s regional office sites for more information on support groups and community development opportunities for asylum seekers and refugees.
The Old Fire Station, 150 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8SB
Tel: 02076 547 700 Fax: 02074 013 699
Information Centre about Refugees and Asylum
This website provides a wealth of information on community organisations for asylum seekers around the UK and is a good resource about asylum seeking in general. It is a good starting place if you want to know what organisations are in your area although no services are provided directly through the centre.
School of Social Sciences, City University, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB
Tel: 02070 404 596
Email: icar@city.ac.uk
No Borders Network
This organisation has regional branches all over the UK and actively campaigns for freedom of movement. In addition to campaigns, their website provides news and information on events for asylum seekers. Visit the ‘contacts’ section of the website for information and contact details for regional branches.
Email: noborderslondon@riseup.net (London general email)
Time Together
This organisation is a great resource for finding community and support organisations in many UK cities. Directories of useful legal, health and housing organisations are provided. Also included are community organisations for the following cities: London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Nottingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Leicester, Norwich, and Cardiff. Most of the city websites are not accessible from Time Together’s home page, so you must type ‘Time Together’ + the city name into Google to access the pages. Contact details for each office are also located on the city directory websites.
TimeBank, 2nd Floor, Downstream Building, 1 London Bridge, London SE1 9BG
Tel: 02077 856 396 Fax: 08454 561 669
Email: mentor@timebank.org.uk
Manchester
Manchester Refugee Support Network
This organisation is run by refugees for refugees. It aims to strengthen community-based refugee organisations in Greater Manchester. There is an extensive directory of refugee community organisations in the Northwest.
129 Princess Road, Moss Side, Manchester, M14 4TH
Tel: 01612 327 420 Fax: 01612 329 117
Leeds
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network
This website provides a directory of the myriad of organisations that support and provide services for asylum seekers. Not only are community organisations listed, but also information on health, education, language support, legal advice amongst other topics. The directory was last updated in January 2009, so is relatively current.
233 Roundhay Road, Leeds, LS8 4HS
Tel: 01133 805 690 Fax: 01133 805 691
Emails can be submitted through the ‘Contacts’ section on the website
Birmingham
Time Together
This organisation, although focused on mentoring for asylum seekers and refugees, has a city directory listing of the asylum seeker and refugee community organisations in and around Birmingham. The site provides contact details and websites.
Wardlow Road Refugee Resource Centre, Wardlow Road, Nechells, Birmingham B7 4JH
Tel: 01214 643 603
Email: mentor@timebank.org.uk
Midlands Ethnic Albanian Foundation
This organisation, founded in 1998, provides information on cultural events and activities happening in and around Birmingham. Please see the website for links to other organisations as well as contact details.
Room 3A, 3rd Floor, City Gate, 25 Moat Lane, Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 5BD
Tel: 01216 222 233
Email: info.meaf@gmail.com
Birmingham County Council
The website provides information on the history of diverse ethnic groups in Birmingham. In some instances, it provides useful information on links, events, and community groups in the region.
Bristol
Bristol City Council
This website provides a directory of all community organisations in Bristol, including those for asylum seekers and refugees. RCOs are listed for the Somali, Vietnamese, and Sudanese communities although others may not be listed.
Bristol City Council, The Council House, College Green, BS1 5TR
Tel: 01179 222 000
Bristol Refugee Rights
This organisation runs a drop-in centre. It provides a point of contact between newly-arrived asylum seekers/refugees and the wider community. See the website for operating hours.
Assisi Centre, St Nicolas of Tolentino, Lawford’s Gates, Easton, Bristol, BS5 0RE
Tel: 01179 080 844
Sudanese Community Organisation of Bristol
This organisation provides recreation and training for its members as well as Sudanese cultural activities. Its ultimate goal is to improve the living conditions of the Sudanese community in Bristol.
38-42 Chelsea Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 6AF
Tel: 07790 988 429
Newcastle
Regional Refugee Forum for the Northeast
This organisation provides a collective voice for refugee community organisations (RCOs) in the Northeast of England. Their website ‘links’ page provides a comprehensive list of RCOs. Contact the Forum for details on specific organisations.
Tel: 01914 236 255
Devon/Cornwall
Devon & Cornwall Refugee Support Council
This website is under construction. The organisation provides practical support to refugees.
www.dcrsc.org.uk/ (under construction as of 13/7/2009)
7 Whimple Street, Plymouth, PL1 2DH
Tel: 01752 265 952
Email: dcrsc@btopenworld.com
Liverpool/Merseyside
Merseyside Network for Change
This organisation’s website provides a directory of organisations for asylum seekers and refugees in the Merseyside and Liverpool areas, including support, community and interest groups.
4th Floor, 35 Bold Street (next to Oxfam), Liverpool, L1 4DN
Tel: 01517 070 566 Fax: 01517 079 168
Nottingham
Pakistani Community Centre
No information provided.
Tel: 01159 582 973
Indian Community Centre
This organisation provides signposting and information for the Indian community. Women’s and children’s groups are on offer as well as education opportunities. See the website for operating hours.
99 Hucknall Road, Carrington, Nottingham NG5 1QZ
Tel: 01159 693 402 Fax: 01159 246 897
Email: admin@theicca.co.uk
Nottinghamshire Chinese Welfare Organisation
This organisation provides for Chinese people and promotes Chinese culture in Nottinghamshire. The organisation provides a range of support from housing information to cultural events and leisure activities.
International Community Centre, 61b Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FN
Tel: 01159 507 888
Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum
This is an organisation run by volunteers for the benefit of asylum seekers and refugees in Nottinghamshire County. They provide a centre for people to meet as well as advice, training, internet services, and advocacy on issues related to immigration. They also provide assistance to destitute asylum seekers. See the website for opening hours.
The Square Centre, Alfred Street North, St Ann’s, Nottingham, NG3 1AA
Tel: 01159 415 599 Fax: 01159 475 358
Nottingham Zimbabwean Community Network
This organisation works toward the integration and empowerment of the Zimbabwean community. It is also actively involved in campaigning against dictatorship in Zimbabwe and against destitution and forced deportation of Zimbabweans in the UK. See the website for further contact details and information on events.
C/O International Community Centre, Unit A10, 61b Mansfield Road, Nottingham, NG1 3FN
Tel: 01159 475 483
Email: info@nzcn.co.uk
Sheffield
Northern Refugee Centre
This organisation runs conversation clubs for refugees and asylum seekers to help them improve their English. Check the website for details and times. Some clubs are for women only.
Scotia Works, Leadmill Road, Sheffield, S1 4SE
Tel: 01142 412 780 Fax: 01142 412 744
Emails can be sent through the ‘Contact Us’ section of the website.