Wandsworth is getting ready to celebrate Refugee Week 2025 – and funding local community groups to provide real-world support.
The council has just handed out over £49,000 from its Borough of Sanctuary Community Fund to five local organisations working with refugees and asylum seekers across the borough.
The money will help run events, build skills, and make sure sanctuary seekers feel welcome and included in the community.
It’s all part of Wandsworth’s commitment to being a Borough of Sanctuary — a place that offers safety, kindness and fresh starts to people forced to leave their homes because of war, persecution or hardship.
The Borough of Sanctuary Community Fund was set up in March 2023 to build on this legacy.
With a pot of £200,000, the aim is to help local charities and community groups deliver projects that:
- Celebrate refugees and asylum seekers and their contributions to the borough.
- Support wellbeing — such as mental health support and reducing isolation.
- Build the capacity of organisations working with sanctuary seekers.
- Help new arrivals integrate into life in the UK.
Groups could apply for up to £10,000 to run new projects or expand their existing work.
Who’s receiving funding this time?
Here’s a closer look at the five projects getting grants:
- Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) – £9,892 CARAS will be hosting a big Refugee Week event and setting up a new refugee-led communications team. Sanctuary seekers will be trained to tell their own stories, helping to challenge stereotypes and share their skills, hopes and experiences.
- Katherine Low Settlement – £10,000 This Battersea charity will provide advice, casework support, and advocacy for refugee families and young people, including unaccompanied minors. They’ll offer free creche services to make sure no parent is left out.
- Power 2 Connect – £10,000 Power 2 Connect will deliver tailored digital skills training to sanctuary seekers, whether that’s learning basic computer skills or preparing for work in today’s digital world.
- Wandsworth Welcomes Refugees (Children’s Library Project) – £9,600 This project will work with Wandsworth Libraries to expand their collection of books that explore themes of migration and sanctuary. They’ll also run workshops and activities for young people to build understanding and belonging.
- Wandsworth Welcomes Refugees (Building a Sanctuary Network) – £10,000 This funding will help employ a project officer to grow the borough’s network of “Places of Sanctuary” — schools, libraries, theatres and community spaces that officially pledge to welcome sanctuary seekers.
Not every application was successful.
Projects by the Afghan and Central Asian Association, Ace of Clubs, and Tooting Community Kitchen didn’t meet the specific funding priorities this time — mainly because they weren’t focused enough on sanctuary seekers in Wandsworth or lacked a clear plan.
Refugees through history
Wandsworth’s history of welcoming refugees goes back centuries. In the 17th century, French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution found sanctuary in the borough, bringing skilled trades that shaped the local economy. During World War I, Wandsworth opened its doors to Belgian refugees escaping the German invasion. After World War II, migrants from the Caribbean, known as the Windrush generation, came to Wandsworth to help rebuild Britain, followed later by Ugandan Asians fleeing Idi Amin’s brutal expulsion in 1972. Each new arrival added to the borough’s rich diversity, and by the late 20th century, Wandsworth had built a reputation as a place where people seeking safety could start again.
In the 2010s, Wandsworth welcomed families escaping the horrors of the Syrian civil war under the UK’s resettlement schemes. Between 2016 and 2019, 12 Syrian families, including many young children, were rehoused and supported into local schools, jobs, and new lives. After the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, Wandsworth again stepped up, resettling Afghan families through national evacuation and resettlement programs, offering them homes, education, and trauma support. Both Syrian and Afghan newcomers were helped by community groups, charities, and council services, carrying on Wandsworth’s long tradition of compassionate welcome.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Wandsworth saw one of the biggest responses anywhere in Britain. Over 1,000 Ukrainian refugees, mostly women and children, came to the borough through the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme. Residents opened their homes, donated essentials, and helped families settle. Wandsworth hosted cultural events, provided school places, and supported employment opportunities to help Ukrainians rebuild their lives during the ongoing war.
Today, Wandsworth continues to support refugees and asylum seekers from around the world, including individuals from Eritrea, Iran, Sudan, and Albania. Through its Borough of Sanctuary status, the council and local communities work together to make sure sanctuary seekers are not just welcomed but truly supported to integrate, thrive, and feel at home. From language classes and job coaching to friendship networks and cultural celebrations, Wandsworth’s message to refugees remains clear: you are safe here, and you are part of our community.
What is Refugee Week all about?
Refugee Week (16–22 June 2025) is the UK’s largest festival celebrating the contributions, creativity, and resilience of refugees and asylum seekers.
Running every year since 1998, it’s a nationwide programme of arts, culture, sports, education and community events — all designed to bring people together, break down barriers, and create a culture of welcome.
The theme for 2025 is “Our Home” — a chance to think about what home means, how we can extend a hand of friendship, and how our communities are stronger when everyone feels they belong.
It’s based on simple acts of solidarity and connection: sharing a meal, telling a story, learning something new, or simply making space for conversation. You can find out more at refugeeweek.org.uk.
A borough proud to stand together
With these new grants, Wandsworth is showing that welcoming refugees isn’t just about providing housing or services — it’s about building friendships, celebrating cultures, and creating a community where everyone can thrive.
As Refugee Week 2025 approaches, Wandsworth has good reason to be proud — and even better reasons to keep building a borough where sanctuary seekers feel truly at home.
