Bournemouth, UK

An alternative welcome is possible. The Bournemouth Dignity Centre is a place where we can live out our values of solidarity, community and dignity every day — while advocating for a fair, well-managed and compassionate asylum system.

Our first UK project supports refugees and people seeking asylum living in and around the conurbation of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Staffed by a team of welcoming and friendly volunteers, the Bournemouth Dignity Centre includes a ‘free shop’ where new members can choose a Welcome Pack of weather-appropriate clothing and essential hygiene items. 

The Centre also offers a growing roster of activities and administrative support, including:

Find out more about current activities and offerings on our local Facebook page.

The Centre has an open-door policy and is a community space where we can listen to the evolving needs of the people we serve and respond appropriately.

As with all our Dignity Centres, our location in the heart of Bournemouth also provides an opportunity for local residents to get involved and serves as a space that brings people together and helps build strong relationships in and across communities.

The background & need

In the UK, we hear dangerously racist rhetoric about “migrants” from the highest levels of government almost every day. This filters through to every level of society, from access to basic services to xenophobic media reports that influence public sentiment. The deliberately created ‘hostile environment’ has been exacerbated by the Nationality and Borders Bill, which, according to the UN, further increases risks of discrimination and human rights violations.

In 2023, 84,132 people applied for asylum in the UK. More than half travelled here by small boat, arriving on the south coast after a traumatic and perilous journey. While many of the towns and cities along the coast are served by a number of charities and community groups supporting refugees and asylum seekers, we have identified a gap in coverage in Bournemouth.

Men make up the majority of asylum seekers in the UK for a number of reasons. In many countries, men are the main breadwinner and also expected to join the army—factors which make them more likely to be targeted in situations of political and social turmoil. According to Professor Nando Sigona, the chair of International Migration and Forced Displacement at the University of Birmingham, “the journey to Europe is dangerous and expensive, and raising enough money for all members to seek protection abroad is difficult, so often men are sent abroad first to secure an income to support the family and also a safer route to international protection via family reunion.”

While there is some support for people in the UK once they get refugee status, there is very little for asylum seekers, who must wait an average of one to three years for their asylum application decision, living in temporary accommodation that often compounds feelings of isolation and precarity, and are not permitted to work during that time. 

How you can help

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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