Over recent months, our Bournemouth Dignity Centre has been open two days a week, providing a range of support including Welcome Packs of clothing and hygiene essentials, basic administrative assistance and connections to key local services and partners.
From 15 October, the Bournemouth Dignity Centre will close for one month as we begin transitioning to a new model of support.
We have been working closely with members and partners to make sure people know where they can access support and to help maintain continuity. In the meantime, members will also be able to find us at ICN’s Migrant Hub on Monday afternoons from the beginning of November.
When the space reopens, it will no longer operate as a drop-in support centre. Instead, it will be a base for administration, activities and training for our new pilot project, Dignity on the Move. Building on what we have learned in Bournemouth, the project is envisioned as a flexible model that can bring practical support, signposting and connections to local services to communities across South West England, closer to the people who need them.
We have recently appointed a coordinator to help us develop this next phase, working with members, partners and communities to understand where the gaps are and how we can respond most effectively.
As a small and agile organisation, we believe in learning as we go: listening first, assessing the need through direct experience, testing what works and directing our resources where they can have the greatest impact. The Mobile Dignity Hub is still taking shape, and we’re excited to share more as the project develops.
For now, a huge thank you to our members, volunteers, partners and supporters in Bournemouth who continue to help us build a community where people seeking safety are welcomed and supported with dignity.
Our UK project, the Bournemouth Dignity Centre, supports refugees and people seeking asylum living in and around the conurbation of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP).
The address is 108 Old Christchurch Road, BH1 1LU.
About the Bournemouth Dignity Centre
Since opening its doors in November 2023, the Bournemouth Dignity Centre has become a lifeline for refugees and people seeking asylum on the UK’s south coast. With the growing number of people arriving in Bournemouth and surrounding areas, the Centre provides a vital space of welcome, where members can access essential services, connect with the local community and find a sense of belonging during one of the most challenging times of their lives.