Our Day Centre in Brixton exists to provide a welcoming environment and food for up to 150 clients every day. Of this group, 80% are destitute. In 2008, around 1,543 refugees used our Day Centre. Of these, 1,260 have no access to any form of support or were provided with voucher only support. This included 337 children.
Breakfasts and hot lunches are served every day. Our day centre coordinator, volunteers, a nurse and a GP are also on hand to provide emotional and practical support through medical assistance, social activities and the distribution of emergency provision such as clothing, toiletries, baby packs for newly arrived refugee families or unaccompanied children.
Separated refugee children also visit the Day Centre to get involved in artistic, recreational and educational activities and make new friends. Many older teenagers are living in poorly supported accommodation – mostly bedsits, hotels and hostels – and are not at school or college. The Day Centre provides a safe haven for them to drop-in, keep warm, have a rest, watch TV and eat, as well as have their language needs met through the staff, drop-in language classes and the team of interpreters.
We urgently need to raise £130,000 to run this center for an entire year and a further £130,000 for its running costs in 2010-11.
Please consult the Institutional Giving Team before you consider funding any of these projects.
Full proposals and budgets are available on request. For more information on any of these projects please contact the Institutional Giving Manager on 020 7346 1201 or email her at claire.tomkins@refugeecouncil.org.uk
