Refugee Week 2025: Funding community-led welcome initiatives

Launched in October last year, the Borough of Sanctuary Grant Scheme has recently awarded over £63,000 in funding to seven non-profit groups and organisations.

This Refugee Week, find out how these grants are helping the organisations create a welcoming environment for people building new lives in the borough.

Scheme highlights

Highlights from the first round of projects that have taken place with support from the Borough of Sanctuary Grant Scheme: 

• Local charity Transit Community Support has actively participated in community engagement, outreach and promotion of its services. The team took part in two major local events - St George’s Parade on Whitton High Street and the Richmond Fair at Richmond Green, which led to increased enquiries
• Refugee Action Kingston has piloted an extension of its services from Kingston to Richmond. This initiative provides free access to legal and asylum advice. By expanding its services, RAK is directly addressing the needs of refugees and people seeking asylum in Richmond, helping them navigate the complexities of the legal system. RAK remains one of the few key refugee support organisations in southwest London offering tailored, free legal aid and essential services

Impactful work of other recipients

Further projects funded by the scheme:

The Albanian Heritage Club

The Albanian Heritage Club is expanding its existing work, offering bilingual reading workshops to support children’s language development and school attendance, alongside cultural immersion activities and community gatherings that celebrate heritage and foster stronger community connections. The Club believes "Every Footprint Matters". It has achieved inspiring work and won ‘Community Group of The Year’ at our Community Heroes Awards 2023.

Since its launch in May 2023, the Club has been supported by parents who recognise the importance of ethnic identity and cultural education in their children’s lives. 

Learn English at Home (LEAH)

Learn English at Home will deliver weekly specialist language sessions for sanctuary seekers in Richmond, helping them develop essential communication skills and greater confidence in everyday life. 

LEAH won ‘Communities Together’ at our Community Heroes Awards 2023. Its dedicated volunteer tutors offer free, tailored English language support to asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants to our borough. This vital work helps in improving and facilitating opportunities for individuals and families to access local education, support and community. 

Multicultural Richmond

Through weekly informal, social English classes, Multicultural Richmond will provide older Hong Kongers with practical language skills to navigate daily life and engage in meaningful social interaction. 

Richmond EAL

Richmond EAL aims to bring language learning into the heart of the community by holding informal, practical language classes in six Richmond locations, led by qualified teachers and supported by local volunteers. 

Founded in 2001, more than 1,000 individuals have engaged with the charity, speaking 64 different languages. Many of these have been supported by the charity to access accredited learning at local colleges and to find jobs and volunteering opportunities. 

Ukrainian Social Club

The Ukrainian Social Club is proudly continuing the work of two established groups, creating safe, welcoming spaces where vulnerable Ukrainian sanctuary seekers can connect, learn, and thrive together. 

Celebrating Refugee Week and Borough of Sanctuary anniversary

This week is Refugee Week (16–22 June), and it also marks one year for Richmond upon Thames as a Borough of Sanctuary. A programme of events will bring the community together to mark this milestone.

Refugee resettlement and support services

Find out about our refugee resettlement and support services, and other refugee support networks in the borough.