Hosting asylum seekers and refugees
When a person receives their refugee status, they have 28 days to find their own accommodation. As we all know, housing is very difficult to find in our area, so this can cause huge hardship, especially if a case is resolved in the winter months.
Our friends at Sanctuary Hosting help people with warm hearts and a spare room to offer short-term hosting to refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants. They offer full support throughout the process. Many people have found hosting incredibly rewarding. To find out more, take a look at the Sanctuary Hosting website, or ring them on 07952 101544
International cafes
In our area, several churches and community groups have started up international cafes or drop-in centres, at which asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants, and local people can come together for fellowship and food. CCOW has especially supported the development of the cafe in Didcot, and we’ve loved seeing how friendships are formed and people share their wisdom, their culture, and their experiences. If you’d like to visit a cafe or find out more about how to start one, contact us. You can also read the case study on the Abingdon cafe in our ‘stories’ section.
Making a house a home
Even when someone who has refugee status enter acccommodation, they often have nothing to make their new space a home. CCOW, with support from the ASDA foundation and a private donor, is working with Oxford City Council to provide people in this situation with bedding. If you’d like to donate or get involved, please contact us.
Supporting Ukrainians
Click here for our full guide to offering practical support to people coming to the UK from Ukraine.
Supporting Asylum Seekers in Hotels
On 31 January 2023, over 70 people from around and beyond the Thames Valley gathered together to reflect on how we could best serve asylum seekers and refugees in hotels. Talks included:
- The experience of local churches and groups
- Advice from local agencies
- An overview of legal questions
- Resources for churches
Click here to go to a page with recordings of the sessions and a list of resources.
Community Sponsorship
Read the Government’s description of the community sponsorship programme.
Visit the websites of RESET and Sponsor Refugees, organisations that help groups undertake community sponsorship. You can find out from them how the process works and what support they can offer your group … and be inspired by people’s stories.
A number of churches in Reading and Oxford have been part of community sponsorship programmes. These include Greyfriars in Reading, Wesley Memorial Methodist Church and Blackfriars in Oxford, and a community-based coalition, including St Michael’s, Summertown, also in Oxford.
If you’d like to be put in touch with someone local who has experience of being part of a community sponsorship team, email us.
