Support services for refugees and asylum seekers in Bristol

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.

Aid Box Community

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

ACH

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

Avon & Bristol Law Centre

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

Borderlands

Borderlands provide support to refugees, asylum seekers and those with insecure immigration status. They have a drop in on a Tuesday and provide food, community meals, sign posting, sleep and relaxation sessions, a mentoring programme and English classes.  
Address: Borderlands (South West) Ltd, The Assisi Centre, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, BS5 0RE
Tel: 0117 9040479/ 07925133225  

Bridges for Communities

Bridges for Communities provide support to refugees and asylum seekers to rebuild their lives and support cross-cultural exchange. They organise events around festivals, run a peace feast, a befriending programme, a walking group for mental wellbeing, a craft programme, cultural training and Refulingua, a programme for refugees to teach others their native language.
Address: Bridges for Communities, Easton Family Centre, Beaufort Street, Bristol, BS5 0SQ

Brigstowe Project - Migrant Advice and Support Service

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

Bristol City of Sanctuary

City of Sanctuary is a national network, a movement of local groups made up by businesses, community organisations and individuals, motivated by their belief that sanctuary seekers should be welcomed, and that their contribution to society should be celebrated. CoS run events, initiatives and conferences and help publicise campaigns and events organised by other organisations. They also support local schools and colleges to help them become places of welcome for those seeking sanctuary.
Tel: 0117 941 5960

Bristol Defend Asylum Seekers campaign

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.

Bristol Hospitality Network 

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 Festival

Hold community engagement events throughout the year, culminating in a Festival every June for Refugee Week. The programme consists of arts, cultural, educational, sports and community events that celebrate the contribution of refugees to our city and beyond, and encourages a better understanding between communities.
Email: info@bristolrefugeefestival.org
Phone: 07939 323585
Email: julesolsen@bristolrefugeefestival.org

Bristol Refugee Rights 

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

Bristol Reporting Solidarity

Bristol Reporting Solidarity are a group of volunteers at the Patchway Police Station who help migrants when they have to report to the Home Office there.

The Haven

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

Project MAMA

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

British Red Cross - Refugee Support and International Family Tracing 

BRC provide advocacy and advice for people newly granted leave to remain who need help with benefits and homelessness applications for housing, Family Reunion advice, Travel Documents applications, Destitution support and the International Family Tracing service for help to find missing family members.
Tel: 0117 941 5040
Text or WhatsApp 07739 863 036

Refugee Council  

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

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 

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

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

Trauma Foundation South West

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

Information on accessing mental and emotional support services

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.

Welcome Wednesdays

Welcome Wednesdays (now also opn on Thursdays) is a regular drop-in session at The Station for young refugees and asylum-seeker living in Bristol to meet new people in the city, improve their English, and get some extra support in a safe environment. They privide opportunities to make music, graffiti, play sports and often go on trips within the city.
The Station, Silver St, Bristol BS1 2AG
Email emma.rigby@creativeyouthnetwork.org.uk or send Emma a message on Facebook. 
Phone: 07864 920 409