We were thrilled that Enas, Bahar, Shervin and Ghazal, who had residencies at Trestle Arts Base recently, each contributed a painting at the University of Hertfordshire's Seeking Sanctuary event. Read more at https://www.hertswelcomes.org.uk/artists-work/trestle-artists-contribute-to-seeking-sanctuary-event

Herts Welcomes Refugees is delighted to announce that the charity has been awarded a significant three year grant from the National Lottery.

Irene Austin, Chair of Herts Welcomes Refugees, said "This funding decision is enormously welcome.  The money will really help us to improve our welcome and support services for asylum seekers and refugees over the next 3 years.

We are incredibly grateful to all our volunteers who work tirelessly across Herts to help people who have fled because of trauma, persecution and wars.  This funding will enable us to improve our services for asylum seekers and refugees to help them learn English, rebuild their lives and become part of the local community.

The funding means that we will be able to increase our paid positions with a new Director role and more administrative support.  And we will be able to increase our support for asylum seekers and refugees.  This can make a real difference in helping to break down isolation and improve people's confidence as they navigate their new life here.  The funding will also help us to enhance our volunteer development programme and improve our resilience and effectiveness.

We want to thank all our volunteers and members for what they do, and the National Lottery for deciding to award us this money."
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One refugee told us:  “Your support is the foundation of our dreams.”

​​This afternoon I was delighted to visit one of our drop-in centres, held at a local church.

Apparently it was a quiet day but it seemed to be a hive of activity with 25 English learners across three classes.  Alison, who organises the drop-in showed me round.

As soon as I came into the building I saw volunteers Alison and Helen helping asylum seekers and refugees with practical advice and support.

I was then shown the main hall where Sue was leading an English class for beginners, assisted by the senior teaching assistant who spoke so inspiringly here.  He volunteers in the English class, and translates for others  – he speaks five languages, as well as studying international banking and finance at a London University.

He told me that he was forced to flee Afghanistan when the Taliban took power, managing to leave with his wife, a trained midwife, and two children, and they now have a new baby. He had been a lecturer and advisor to a bank.  We talked about the restrictions in his home country and the trauma of leaving his mother behind.  He is so glad to be in the UK where the family feels safe.  Hopefully he will be able to gain refugee status and start his new life here.

I spoke to a lovely young asylum seeker from Iran who started studying English at the centre as soon as he arrived here three weeks ago. He was making very good progress.  Sue later said: ‘I was really struck this week by the determination of the learners and also the progress I can see.’

I also spoke to a young volunteer Beth, who was helping with the English class, having returned from studying and working abroad which she said gave her an insight into what it must be like for those newly arrived here.  You can read a full interview with Beth here.

In the intermediate class I spoke to volunteer David who has been teaching English at the centre for about a year.  David told me he works as a fundraiser for a child cancer charity and loves helping people. He did an ESOL course and dropped his paid work to four days so he can volunteer by teaching English with Herts Welcomes Refugees.  David said he likes meeting the learners and has to be flexible in his teaching as the participants change.

I also met English teacher Henry who had been running a more advanced conversation group and spoke so inspiringly at the AGM.  

I then went into the children’s playgroup, staffed brilliantly by Mavis and Camille, with new volunteer Kirsty and a volunteer from the church. The children are entertained while their parents learn English. 
I also had a lovely chat with Alejandra, from Colombia, one of the young refugee volunteers who kept the playgroup going over the summer where she was an asset to the programme.
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Alejandra’s younger sister is at school, her mother, a psychologist, was at the intermediate English class and her father, an engineer, is studying computer science online.  Alejandra is only 18 and told me about the five months she spent on a church project in her home country working away from home with indigenous families when she was just 17. I am sure she must have learned a huge amount of resilience on this project, and this will have stood her in good stead when seeking sanctuary in the UK.   

​She said she likes to be busy and useful. When she arrived here she took a vocational course and passed her maths GCSE. She is now at college studying for her English GCSE along with art and science at level 2.  She would like to continue her studies with Graphic or Interior Design.  She attends college four days a week so is free on the fifth day to help with the church playgroup in the mornings and the Herts Welcomes playgroup in the afternoons.  Alejandra struck me as incredibly brave and positive and keen to make a new life and contribute. She told me her favourite food in Colombia was bandeja paisa. Fortunately she and her family are in accommodation where they can cook for themselves unlike asylum seekers housed in hotels.

In a small meeting room, Kate and Louise were interviewing young single refugees recently given Leave to Remain, recording the hardships of their lives in order to enhance their housing benefit applications. This is emotional work for all involved and is done at the request of the local Council. A member of the local authority housing team was also at the drop-in to complete the paperwork for some young men moving in to local private rented accommodation.

Alison was giving out bowls of sweets to the participants in the class. When I left she was comforting a refugee who was crying with stress. Moving on from Home Office accommodation is such a difficult time and I understand the lady is struggling with the emotional stress of wondering when she will be reunited with her husband, as well as the day-to-day practical challenges of building a new life in the UK.

The whole afternoon epitomises the love and courage shown by refugees and volunteers alike.  With thanks to the church too, for making this such a positive partnership.

Helen Singer

​We are delighted to report on the wonderful continuing collaboration with Goods4Good.
 
Volunteer Alison tells us:
 
‘Herts Welcomes Refugees holds a weekly drop-in session every Friday afternoon in a local church. The drop-in supports a large local community of asylum seekers and refugees, and we regularly have more than 50 people attending. 
 
At the drop-in a team of more than 15 volunteers provides English classes (ESOL), a children’s playroom to allow their parents to attend the English classes, and a support and advice service.
 
Many people accessing these services arrive clutching a few papers in their hands or a plastic bag.
 
In September, Goods4Good supplied around 50 small rucksacks filled with stationery sets, a large number of A4 pads, around 40 substantial drawstring bags, and some general stationery items. This was an amazing donation for Herts Welcomes Refugees to receive.
 
We gave a small rucksack to every individual and every family, so that people can keep their paperwork together and not lose anything important. Everyone was so excited to receive these. We regularly get asked for rucksacks.
 
We gave an A4 notepad to every person attending the English classes. The ESOL teacher has replenished the box of shared pens and pencils that we offer to learners each week so that everyone can participate in the lesson and will use a pack of whiteboard markers in the sessions.
 
The playgroup leader took one set of coloured pencils and one set of coloured pens to replenish the ‘Bag of Tricks’ that we have available for when we need to support children at different venues.
 
We plan to give the drawstring bags with an A4 pad inside to every secondary age pupil, to help with taking their things to school.
 
We gave extra rucksacks and stationery items to three particularly vulnerable families who are struggling at the moment – one single mum with three children who has experienced Domestic Violence, one single mum with eight children who is really struggling with the cost of living, and one single mum with three young children where one is receiving hospital treatment for a childhood cancer.
 
The donation from Goods4Good was absolutely wonderful, and we were able to help so many people. Thank you.”
 

As the busy summer comes to an end, volunteers Sue and Alison would like to share a message of thanks for the young asylum seekers and refugee volunteers who helped keep our playroom happy and peaceful throughout the school holidays…

“To the amazing team of young volunteers - THANK YOU 💐🎉  I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, we couldn’t have done it without you 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

I have heard nothing but praise and positive comments about your commitment, and your super approach to looking after the children.  You are all amazing.”
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What a wonderful story of young people seeking sanctuary here giving back to the community.

Following our newsletter about the Positive & hopeful AGM we were contacted by Angela Madden, a lecturer and researcher at the University of Hertfordshire.

Angela was very impressed with Dania, who spoke about Syria and is studying dietetics at the University.  She offered Dania a copy of the Oxford Handbook of Nutrition and Dietetics, which she co-edited.

Our volunteer Helen took the copy to Dania yesterday and she was really grateful to Angela. It was a lovely chance to catch up with her and her mum Maissa who had made special Syrian date biscuits (maamoul).

Helen was so moved to hear about Dania’s tenacity in learning English by reading novels on the bus to college when she did a BTec in Applied Sciences before starting her degree.

Like many refugee families, the family are separated because of war, with Dania's sister and family still in Damascus. Dania's family are hoping to visit her sister after years now that it is safe to do so. However, the massive destruction caused by the war means that most Syrians can't return permanently as they have nowhere to stay. 

Our volunteer Helen Singer was on BBC 3CR yesterday talking about our work with asylum seekers, the need for compassion and understanding and the distress caused, particularly to children, by protests outside hotels.
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Hear the full interview here

And for some facts about asylum seekers see The truth about asylum - Refugee Council

Our volunteer Helen just had this letter about the use of asylum hotels published in the St Albans Times:
issuu.com/stalbanstimes/docs/st_albans_times_issue_131/60 

Helen writes:  "As a volunteer with a refugee charity I am dismayed at the stirring up of hatred at asylum hotels by right wing groups."

She goes on to refute some of the common misconceptions about asylum seekers in hotels and concludes by saying: "Volunteers working with asylum seekers in hotels can assure your readers that asylum seekers are not leading luxurious lives -  they are often traumatised and enduring hardship while awaiting a decision."

We are proud to have added our name to a letter signed by 200 refugee organisations, calling on party leaders to end the language of division and hatred.  See the Guardian report  and read the full letter below:

With thanks to CIAC:

"Here are 10 prevalent misconceptions regarding asylum hotels, clarified and refuted with accurate information:

1. “They’re living in luxury hotels at our expense!”

Fact: These accommodations typically comprise budget hotels or repurposed facilities. The rooms are basic, frequently cramped, lacking kitchen access, and providing limited privacy.

2. “They get £40 a day spending money.”

Fact: Asylum seekers residing in hotels receive approximately £9.95 per week in cash, equating to about £1.42 daily—insufficient to cover even fundamental necessities.

3.  “They’re taking hotel rooms from paying guests.”

Fact: The government specifically contracts hotels that often have available capacity or are unsuitable for typical guests. Most were not fully booked prior to their use.

4. “They should be working to pay for their stay.”

Fact: Asylum seekers are prohibited from working while their claims are being processed—a policy decision rather than a personal choice.

5.  “They’re just waiting around doing nothing.”

Fact: The majority of asylum seekers aim to contribute positively. Many engage in volunteering, learning English, or participating in community organisations, despite facing significant uncertainty.

6.  “We’re spending millions on them!”

Fact: The high costs associated with hotel use stem from a broken and backlogged asylum system, not from the individuals utilising it. Delays perpetuate a state of limbo, resulting in increased long-term expenses.

7.  “They’re given better treatment than our homeless.”

Fact: Asylum seekers are housed in hotels due to the government’s legal obligation to accommodate them. Homelessness is a distinct and also underfunded issue; one should not be used to justify neglect of the other.

8.  “They’re all men of fighting age.”

Fact: Asylum hotels also house families, women, and children. The narrative surrounding “fighting-age males” is often intended to incite fear rather than accurately represent the situation.

9.  “They could have stayed in a safe country.”

Fact: International law does not mandate claiming asylum in the first safe country encountered. Individuals arrive in the UK for various reasons—language preferences, family connections, historical ties, or safety concerns elsewhere.

10.  “They’re pretending to be refugees to get free stuff.”

Fact: The vast majority of asylum seekers are legitimate refugees fleeing war, torture, and persecution. Their claims undergo individual assessments based on stringent criteria.

Asylum seekers residing in hotels are not leading luxurious lives—they are enduring hardships while awaiting safety. The core issue lies not with those occupying the hotels but rather with the prolonged circumstances that have led them there."

Read our report Forced to Flee for an insight into what led some asylum seekers we support to seek sanctuary here.