Supporting Voluntary and Community Action
The following organisations, many of whom are BRASP members, provide support services for refugees and asylum seekers in Bristol.
Please see the Bristol City of Sanctuary webpage for a more comprehesive list of RAS services in Bristol, including information in various languages.
Free shop providing clothing, toiletries, toys, household and electrical items.
Women’s and Men’s Activity Groups - safe spaces where people can come to be part of the community, build friendships, and share or learn new skills. Currently running cycling, swimming, football, and cookery programmes.
Connections Programme that connects people for friendship.
Address: 174b Cheltenham Road, Bristol BS6 5RE
Phone: 0117 336 8441
Provide accommodation support, careers advice, business support and training for refugees and migrants.
Address: 2nd Floor, Eden House, Eastgate Office Park, Eastgate Road, Bristol, BS5 6XX
Telephone: 0117 954 0433
Email: info@ach.org.uk
Legal advice and representation for refugees and asylum seekers. Free phone advice, and casework. Open 9:30am-4:30pm, Mon-Fri or email us. Closed on English bank holidays.
Tel: 0117 924 8662
Email: mail@ablc.org.uk
Confidential support for migrants and asylum seekers who are living with or affected by HIV. Advice and information on issues including housing, finance, community care, legal services, education and training, and charges for care. Brigstowe also offer practical and emotional support which is flexible and dependent on individual needs.
Address: Brigstowe Project, Easton Community Centre, Kilburn Street, Easton, BS5 6AW
Tel: +44 (0)117 955 5038
Email: info@brigstowe.org
BDASC is a voluntary group of concerned individuals and organisations, (including trade unions and religious groups) set up to raise the profile of asylum seekers and the difficulties they face in the UK.
BHN works alongside people seeking asylum who are facing destitution in Bristol. They supported hosted accommodation in their men's hostel or with a network of host families in Bristol for asylum seekers experiencing destitution. BHN run a drop in for their members which provides a social supportive space, advice, hot lunch, volunteering opportunities for members, cafe for hot drinks and snacks and ESOL classes. BHN also support a triage team in the inital accomation hotels.
Email: hello@bhn.org.uk
Bristol Refugee Rights provides a place of welcome in Bristol where asylum seekers and refugees can meet and be supported to play a full part in the life of the wider community and also campaign for the human rights of refugees and asylum seekers. Bristol Refugee Rights aims to deliver a ‘user-led’ service. BRR provide a helpline, a drop-in, an advice service for help with housing, money and asylum claims, support with complex casework, English classes, Family Support including advice and sccessing specialist support for parents and children, a Young People's Immigration Project supporting in-care/care-leavers with BCC and Pride without Borders - a support group for LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum and those with refugee status. BRR also have a presence in inital accomodation hotels for triage/signposting.
Address: Wellspring Settlement, 43 Ducie Road, Bristol, BS5 0AX
Tel: 07526 352 353
Email: info@bristolrefugeerights.org
This is a ‘first stop’ clinic for newly arrived asylum seekers in Bristol. It is run on behalf of all three PCTs in Bristol. The Haven provides a comprehensive health assessment for those who have not yet registered with a GP. This includes access to the Haven GP, public health screening and immunisations. They also facilitate registration to primary care practices.
Address: Montpelier Health Centre, Montpelier, Bristol, BS6 5PT
Tel: 0117 942 6811
Mother Companions Project: for pregnant women for one-to-one support throughout pregnancy, labour, childbirth and early parenting. They provide specialist one-to-one support especially to those who do not have birth partners.
Bumps and Babes without borders - advocacy project to address multiple layers of disadvantage which pervade within the UK and in a global context.
MAMAhub: A drop-in that promotes sildarity and a space for refugee, asylum-seeking and displaced mamas who are pregnant and with babies under 2 years old - peer support & solidarity, and enjoy a hot, healthy meal, infant bonding, yoga & relaxation sessions. MAMAhub runs every Friday during term time from 11am - 2pm at Felix Road Adventure Playground, Felix Rd, Easton, Bristol BS5 0JW. They reimburse bus fares.
Email: hello@projectmama.org
Phone: 0117 941 5320
Refugee Council is a national charity working with refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK. Provide support with navigating the asylum system to Unaccompanied minors in Bristol and surrounding area.
Email: info@refugeecouncil.org.uk
Refugee Welcome Homes is a Community Interest Company set up to link socially conscious landlords with refugees needing a place to call home in Bristol.
Tel: 07734 347817 (Rachael)
Tel: 07447 408474 (Khaled)
Email: refugeewelcomehomes@gmail.com
Refugee Women of Bristol raises the educational and economic status of refugee and asylum seeking women and provides access to English language learning, volunteering and training opportunities in order to increase the ability of service users to gain employment and support themselves and reduce isolation and improve confidence.
Food Hub - distributing culturally appropriate food parcels.
Befriending support - to help families access information and specialist services; they also identified people at risk and provided basic support at the community level.
Mend The Gap – this project addresses multiple forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) within Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities, particularly African and Arab speaking communities. This includes asylum seekers, trafficked women, refugees, and those with no recourse to public funds.
Drop in – crèche, lunch, English classes, one to one reading practice, information and advocacy, mental well-being support, various activities. All women from a refugee or asylum seeking background are welcome.
RWoB have Community Workers who speak Somali, Arabic, and Chinese and a range of other languages.
Address: Refugee Women of Bristol, Unit 35 Easton Business Centre, Felix Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 0HE
Tel: 0117 9415867
email: info@refugeewomenofbristol.org.uk
The Hope service helps asylum seekers, refugees and victims of trafficking who have experienced trauma in adulthood and have a primary diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The care pathway within the service involves Moving On After Trauma (MOAT) groups and one-to-one specialist trauma-focused psychological support. We also provide wellbeing initiatives, such as a walking group and art group. Referral information on their website or through The Haven.
Email: awp.hopeserviceteam@nhs.net
Phone: 07736629954
Provide free, long-term counselling and psychotherapy to refugees, asylum seekers and others traumatised by war and persecution in Bristol and the southwest. They also support staff and volunteers who work with traumatised refugees and asylum seekers by offering training and supervision.
Email: tfsw@tfsw.co.uk
For more information on referral mechanisms and how to access mental and emotional support for refugees and asylum seekers in Bristol please click the link above.