A Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year to all from Refugees Welcome Crawley!

2023 was a tough year of significant challenges for asylum seekers and refugees across the UK.

Continuing tragic loss of lives at sea in the absence of safe asylum routes, the ongoing threat of a Rwanda asylum plan despite its unlawfulness, ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Sudan and elsewhere and the increasing numbers of newly granted refugees facing homelessness all contributed to a difficult year for refugees and refugee charities.

Throughout the year, amidst these challenges, we have done our best to show welcome and give practical support to people who have fled from persecution, torture, human trafficking and war to seek sanctuary here and start rebuilding their lives.

We could not have done this without the fantastic support of our generous funders and supporters, dedicated volunteers and much valued partner organisations in the local area. With your help, we continue to provide the help that local refugees need in as many ways as we can. We offer welcome and practical support to make their lives that little bit better at such a traumatic time of uncertainty and change.

Thank you so much to everyone who helped us, especially:

All our tireless volunteers!

Our amazing partners , Sussex Aid for Refugees, for all the clothes, shoes and so much more; Alliance for Better Care for all your support; local churches and schools;  Spread Some Sunshine charity for the lovely Christmas presents; the amazing Bike Project https://thebikeproject.co.uk/ for  refurbished bicycles with cycle safety kit; Smalls for All for the gift of dignity, new underwear https://www.smallsforall.org/  . Grateful thanks for the very welcome grants from The National Lottery Fund https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/    Sussex Community Foundation Trust https://sussexgiving.org.uk/about-sussex-community-foundation/ the Wates Foundation , The Longley Trust , St Christopher’s Trust  and all our grant funders and donors for your generous funding. We simply could not continue without you.

Inspired by the courage and resilience of the refugee men, women and children we support, we start the New Year with hope for a more peaceful, more tolerant world and better welcome for refugees seeking sanctuary here this year.

Thank you for your support.

Happy New Year!