Below are a variety of ways people can support refugees in Leeds. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Firstly, please look at what organisations are saying is the best way to respond.
Donations of essential items
In the Horsforth area, a group are collecting donations of men’s clothes and shoes/trainers, particularly for new arrivals to a local hotel.
You can take them to Horsforth Community Cafe on a Monday morning or to Holy Name Church, Otley Old Road any morning Tuesday-Friday 9am – 11.30 noon. Please ring Amanda on 0113 2678257 before dropping them off. THANK YOU.
Below are some of the other organisations accepting donations in Leeds. Check their websites for priorities and how to donate. It is important that clothing is clean and in very good condition.
Care4Calais – clothing, unlocked phones and chargers
St Vincent’s – clothing
Meeting Point Leeds – clothing and food
PAFRAS – food, toiletries
RETAS – food
Leeds Baby Bank – baby items
Solidaritech – desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets (they wipe/repair and give to refugees)
Volunteer
All the organisations listed on this page (and others!) rely on volunteers. Here are just a few examples to show the range of opportunities:
PAFRAS – support on reception, kitchen and wellbeing teams
Care4Calais – collecting/distributing donations, providing friendship and support
LASSN – befrienders, mentors, English tutors, interpreters, grace hosts/coordinators
Refugees at Home – admin support, home visitors
Leeds Refugee Forum – tutoring, admin, graphic design, photography, childcare
Offer a spare room
If you have a spare room and are interested in hosting an asylum seeker, check out the No Accommodation Network, Refugees at Home or LASSN.
If you have a whole flat or house that could be used, contact Migration Yorkshire.
Fostering
To find out about fostering unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, check out Migration Yorkshire’s Welcoming Young Refugees Project.
Financial donations
All the organisations listed on this page (and others!) are seeking financial donations to provide essential items and support for refugees. Many organisations are saying this is the best way to help as they can use the money effectively to meet current needs.
Advocacy and awareness
Keep up to date with asylum issues and petitions, a good place to look is on the Refugee Council website.
In particular, the government’s Nationality and Borders Bill, which has been widely criticised as inhumane and breaching an asylum seeker’s fundamental rights.
Update July 2023: Sadly this bill has now been passed and it could criminalise asylum seekers who arrive in the UK via ‘irregular routes’.
For more information on how to continue to voice our desire for a fair and effective asylum system and how to oppose these changes, please see the Refugee Council website and the Together with Refugees website