The grants will help Christian organisations to support Afghan evacuees as they seek to resettle in the UK and Ireland, having arrived without the basic essentials, advice and support they need.
The Trust announced the first wave of grants in December 2021. Here are some of the final churches and charities to receive a funding boost, which will enable them to offer a warm welcome to Afghan evacuees, many of whom risked their lives in support of British troops.
Welcome Churches, Derby
Welcome Churches has been working in conjunction with the Home Office to help Afghan families resettling in the UK by equipping, training and mobilising local churches to provide hands-on community support and a trauma-informed, cross-culture welcome.
Welcome Churches has provided training to over 500 volunteers across the UK. A £5,000 grant from the Trust will enable the charity to continue to mobilise churches and provide vital support to Afghan families.
St Paul’s Church, Marylebone, London
A £5,000 grant from Benefact Trust's Afghan Evacuees Emergency Grants Programme will help St Paul’s Church to provide a safe space for Afghan women and children, where they can spend time together outside of the confinement of their hotel rooms. It will provide a creative outlet for the women where they can do craft and sewing projects and take control of one aspect of their lives.
Ballynafeigh Methodist Church, Belfast
Ballynafeigh Methodist is running its Reset Programme as a pioneering church in Northern Ireland. The aim is to adopt and support an Afghan family with accommodation, training, employment, schools, food and befriending to help them fully resettle.
A £5,000 Afghan Evacuees Emergency Grant will support the programme and help the Methodist church to continue to innovate and support other families at different levels.
One YMCA, Watford, Hertfordshire
One YMCA is providing accommodation for Afghan Evacuees through the Home Office’s Afghan Relocation & Assistance Programme. In addition to this – and with the support of £5,000 Benefact Trust funding – the charity will provide two Complex Needs Specialist Support Workers to work with residents to provide person-centric support to help individuals understand and appreciate all aspects of life in the UK and help them to integrate and contribute to it.
Caritas Diocese of Shrewsbury, Wallasey, Merseyside
£4,600 emergency funding will support Caritas Diocese of Shrewsbury to run The Well Project, which will provide a range of information, advice and support services, and activities to Afghan evacuees staying in a hotel in Manchester. The support and resources will help them get back on their feet as they look to integrate into the wider community.
*Header image: St Paul’s Church, Marylebone, London
