What We Do

Singing can be a great way to learn a language, to share a culture, and to lift the spirits. This group is led by talented local musicians Emily Smith & David Pisaro.  The group sings together, and shares songs from home. #MAP-MIDDLESBROUGH

Many of those seeking asylum in Tees Valley arrive here with very few possessions, and pulling together the basic necessities for a life with dignity can be difficult. This service is now appointments only for service users, and allows access to clothing, household goods and basic storecupboard food/toiletries. We are keen recyclers too, and any clothing or textiles which we cannot pass on to asylum-seekers we recycle, thereby also generating a useful income stream. Donations of clothing and household goods can be dropped off at Avenue Church between 10am – 12 noon on Wednesdays. Click here to view on a map.

Orientation service for newly –arrived asylum seekers

Imagine arriving in a new town, especially one where you might not speak or read the local language. Our Welcome volunteers provide newly-arriving asylum-seekers with information about local services, signpost to other organisations, and guide new arrivals around town. We also have useful information for asylum-seekers about the regular journeys to other towns they may have to make during the asylum process.

We offer a range of activities focussed on wellbeing, and many opportunities to support individuals to develop practices which support wellbeing.  These include regular Tai Chi&Wellbeing classes, a Meditation group delivered in partnership with Meditatio, the outreach arm of World Community for Christian Meditation.

In partnership with Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation, and supported also by Amnesty International’s Football Welcomes programme, we offer regular weekly football training, with the team also entering tournaments and being involved in related visits and activities.

“Come & Chat” is an open access drop-in English language class. Volunteer work with small groups of learners, to allow an opportunity to practise some spoken English. Our aim is to create a safe environment where someone new to Middlesbrough will feel as “at home” as our regular friends do. This is a place where people can feel comfortable enough to start saying the English words they know out loud, as well as somewhere they can practise more advanced conversation. Each session ends with a simple Community Lunch. Real-life meeting of the group is currently suspended due to covid-19. However, the group, and many of our other activity classes, now meets weekly by Zoom.

Exercise can be a real source of wellbeing, and we try to offer as many different activities as possible.  Most face to face classes are currently suspended due to covid-19.  We will resume as soon as possible

As part of our quest to create a community feeling we also offer a programme of one-off events and activities. We hold celebrations and offer trips out during the summer. We also work with partner organisations to deliver activities such as cooking, football and singing.