Impact Report 2025-2026
Everyone deserves a chance to rebuild their lives.
Contents 4 Introduction 7 A snapshot of our year 9 Removing barriers to power 17 Creating stability, safety and community 24 Growing confidence, skills and leadership 31 Voices in Refuge 33 Finance breakdown
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Introduction Graham Bell, Chair of the Board of Trustees This year, I’ve been struck by how much Nottingham Refugee Forum means to the people who come through our doors. People don’t just visit us for advice, an event or a meal, they come because they feel safe, welcomed, and part of a community that feels like a second family. That sense of belonging only happens because of the high level of trust, care and reassurance our staff and volunteers offer every day. Our support has helped people meet urgent needs, feel more confident and navigate complicated systems with clarity. It’s also enabled people to arrive as clients, build skills as volunteers, and thrive as members of our staff team, a journey that really embodies the extent of our support. One General Advice client put it perfectly: “The Forum is like medicine; it makes things better in so many ways.” You’ll find more powerful stories and reflections throughout this report. I’m especially proud of the way people with lived experience are involved across the organisation - as volunteers, staff and voices shaping our work. Their insight strengthens everything we do, and is something we’re continually embedding in our work. And in a year where we’ve witnessed rising hostility and funding pressures, I’ve been inspired by how our staff, volunteers and trustees have adapted and continued to offer vital lifeline and support to refugees and people seeking asylum across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
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Welcome
Debbie Royle, Executive Director I am very pleased to write this as Nottingham Refugee Forum’s new Executive Director, a role I took on in March 2026 following Frank's departure in December. During my 10 years of working at Nottingham Refugee Forum, I have been aware of persistent challenges facing the organisation, including reduced funding, increasing demand for services, and heightened hostility towards people seeking sanctuary. Recent changes to settlement-related regulations are deeply concerning and risk further increasing insecurity and negatively impacting mental health among those we support. Despite these challenges, Nottingham Refugee Forum provided advice and support to 4510 individuals. Our community projects, including the café and garden, the Women’s Group, and the LGBT+ Group, provide vital support to clients and volunteers alike, offering welcoming and inclusive spaces. We also lost funding for our Health Project, could not replace several advice workers, and made redundancies including the Deputy Director, Client Participation Worker, and Volunteer Coordinator following the end of specific funding streams. On a more positive note, since January we have embedded our new structure, recruited to vacant posts, and currently have a full staff team.
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As we look to the next year, some of our priorities include: Securing additional funding to ensure our stability as an organisation Developing partnership working with other organisations Increasing the number of trustees, staff, and volunteers with lived experience of forced displacement Evaluating project work to ensure staff capacity is focused on priorities and objectives Continuing to recognise and support the work of staff and volunteers Further embedding trauma-informed practice across the organisation, including creating a calm, welcoming physical environment Ensuring clients, staff, and volunteers feel safe and informed, particularly at a time when the wider world feels increasingly uncertain for many. On a personal note, I feel incredibly proud and privileged to work for Nottingham Refugee Forum and am continually inspired by the commitment, resilience, and professionalism of all our staff and volunteers. I would like to thank all staff who have been so supportive over the past year and who consistently go above and beyond in their roles. I deeply appreciate the volunteers, without whom the organisation would simply not exist. Finally, I would like to thank our trustees, who generously dedicate their time and expertise to the work of Nottingham Refugee Forum.
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A snapshot of our year We supported 4510 refugees and people seeking asylum including dependents
We supported clients from 73 nationalities 8 volunteers became members of staff
We worked with 118 local and national partner organisations 213 volunteers, including 91 new ones gave their time
Arabic Tigrinya Kurdish Sorani Farsi Dari are the top 5 most spoken languages
43% of our volunteers have lived experience of seeking asylum
63% of all people seen came from 5 countries: Eritrea, Iran, Sudan, Afghanistan and Iraq
Removing barriers to power Every day our advice teams work alongside people who are navigating complex and unfamiliar systems that can feel overwhelming and hostile, helping them to access the safety, stability and the rights they are entitled to and deserve.
General Advice Providing practical advice, signposting and advocacy Our General Advice Team provides a drop-in service from Monday to Thursday, helping clients with everything from accessing education and housing support, to accessing legal advice and dealing with hate crime issues.
This year, there were 4383 visits to our advice service by 2022 people, and 4954 issues dealt with.
“It is very difficult to be in a new country and not know how things work. I came here and the hospitality is warm, I drink a tea and eat a pastry and meet with your colleague he was very kind and helped me. I am very happy.” Our volunteers are the backbone of this service and this year 22 new volunteers completed their adviser training. We also worked with 26 local and national organisations to support people seeking refuge in our city.
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Ac ce ss ing Le Ed ga uc lA ati dv on ice Re fer Ho ral us s ing Ad vic Be ne e As fit ylu Qu m eri Su es pp ort Qu Ut eri ilit es yB ill Qu eri es
A standout partner was Ridewise, who helped us provide bikes to over 75 men, women and children, making it easier for people to get to appointments, continue studying, take up volunteering opportunities and enjoy their local area.
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Samir and Youssef With rising anti‑refugee hatred across the UK, one of the most worrying issues we’re supporting people with more often is hate crime, which is increasingly frequent in asylum accomodation.
Samir and Youssef came to our General Advice drop‑in on different days but both told us that a video showing their address had been shared online, and since then they’d both been targeted with harassment and intimidation. Neither felt safe going back home. Samir had been sleeping rough, and Youssef was sofa surfing wherever he could. After speaking with each of them separately, we invited them to come in together. Sitting side by side, with an Arabic interpreter present, they were able to talk through what had happened in their own words. Neither Samir nor Youssef had felt able to report the incident to the police. They were worried they wouldn’t be believed. We talked through their rights and what reporting could mean for their safety, and with support they both chose to make formal reports. We also raised concerns about other tenants still living at the property. Both men were clear that they couldn’t return to the area. The fear and intimidation had been too much. We helped them end their tenancy properly so they wouldn’t face rent arrears and supported them to apply for new accommodation in Nottingham. They were both accepted and rehoused somewhere safe. Once they were settled, we focused on helping them rebuild some stability by referring them to English classes, mental health support, community activities and employability advice. Samir and Youssef’s story is a reminder of the importance of building trust and offering a space where people feel listened to and believed.
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Removing barriers to power For those with more complicated issues, like experiencing homelessness, financial hardship and complex barriers to stability and integration, our specialist advice team provide in-depth and tailored support.
Specialist Advice Reducing crisis and improving stability to move towards independence and inclusion Over the last year, the team delivered intensive, person-centred casework and advocacy to help people access safe accommodation, financial support, healthcare and legal advice. Across the service, 706 people were supported through 1381 individual and group interventions. 267 people secured safe and stable housing 19 people received essential asylum support 235 newly recognised refugees supported after receiving status “I want to say well done to you for all the exceptional work in preparing the appeal. It is perhaps the best articulated and evidenced case I have received.” – Asylum Support Appeals Project Legal Adviser People come to us with hopes for their future. This year, we supported people to learn English, gain new skills, move into work and take part in community life. 67 people accessed education, English classes or skills development. 60 people achieved positive employability outcomes. We supported people with CVs, volunteering, job searches and routes into work or further education.
“The Forum is not like other places, people here are kind, polite, respectful, there is no racism, they take you in. I have not seen this anywhere else.”
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Removing barriers to power Refused Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (RASAP) Our Refused Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project supports people who have been refused asylum and left with no income, no housing and nowhere to turn. Getting through every day is hard and people face exploitation, isolation and worsening mental health. We offer food, essentials and a safe space every Friday, alongside advocacy and casework that helps people understand their rights, reduce the risks of destitution and take steps toward stability, dignity and hope. We helped 18 people into safe accommodation We protected people at risk of exploitation, making 3 modern slavery referrals, and supported 2 people in detention to access legal and welfare help. We connected 22 clients who felt overwhelmed, isolated or traumatised with mental health support Despite huge challenges, 2 people were granted refugee status. We provided 11 emergency grants and support for 3 people choosing voluntary return.
Our food bank was one of the only reliable sources of food for RASAP clients. We had 966 visits for food, toiletries and a warm welcome. We also ran community activities to help people feel connected The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2025 was a huge success, raising £13,582 for RASAP. Our supporters’ generosity is what keeps our food bank running and allows us to offer the specialist support people rely on.
“Thank you so much for what you have done for me, definitely I will let you know when I have good news, you are nice people always helping others”
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Removing barriers to power Initial Accomodation Outreach Our Initial Accommodation work helped people living in hotels and shared housing who often felt frightened, isolated or unsure where to turn. Across Nottingham and Rushcliffe, we focused on making advice easy to access, building trust and helping people understand their rights. We supported 354 people through casework, outreach and regular on‑site sessions We made over 200 referrals to health, legal and community services 100 people attended a workshop that helped them build confidence and take more control over their situation, empowering them to attend appointments independently, join local activities and support others. In November 2025, a major achievement was our expansion into Rushcliffe, creating a new Advice and Support Hub in West Bridgford Library for residents who previously had no support. We also carried out home visits and built strong links with local services, councillors and MPs. We registered 18 clients, delivered 56 appointments, helping people settle locally, access ESOL and understand what support was available.
“I have been trying to sort all my issues for months, mental, physical health, no one helped me like now.”
“You explained things clearly when I was confused and worried. I felt respected and supported.”
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Creating safety, stability and community Our community projects create spaces where people are welcomed, can be themselves and feel like they belong, offering support that helps individuals and families feel less alone and that we are here to support them.
Resettlement As the primary organisation contracted to deliver refugee resettlement in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, we support families arriving through the UK’s formal resettlement schemes - some of the few safe routes available to refugees in vulnerable situations. Our role is to help people rebuild a life here with dignity, stability and the chance to start again. We supported 434 people through four resettlement schemes. New arrivals We welcomed 22 new families (89 people) This included families arriving through: The UK’s Refugee Resettlement Programme Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme Afghan Refugee Pathway We also supported 5 families (24 people) who transferred from other local authorities. Our team welcomed families at the airport and delivered 17 home‑orientation visits, helping families settle into their new homes and communities from day one. People moving on 13 families (70 people) exited the scheme this year, gaining confidence, increased independence and successful integration in their local communities.
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Resettlement Learning, Work and Progression Our employability team supported families to take clear steps towards education, work and independence, supporting people to feel more equipped and confident to take their next steps:
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Community and Connection We created spaces for families to meet, relax and feel part of the community: A summer picnic at The Meadows Recreation Ground A women’s flower‑arranging and decoupage workshop at New Art Exchange A welcome event with Nottingham City Council at Djanogly City Academy
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Creating safety, stability and community
Youth Project Over the past year, we supported 80 young people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire aged 15–24, most of whom arrived in the UK alone, without their families. Many faced trauma, homelessness, poverty, isolation and language barriers, and demand for the project has grown significantly over the last few months. Key achievements: Accessed English classes Felt more able to manage their lives independently
70% 90%
Said they felt supported Could identify at least 3 places to seek help
90% 60%
Young people took part in community activities including football, youth clubs, art, music and gardening, helping reduce isolation and improve wellbeing. The project also provided intensive advocacy around asylum interviews, appeals, age disputes, housing and homelessness prevention. Although the youth group closed during the year due to funding ending, the project continued to support young people through alternative one-to-one and community-based activities to ensure young people remained connected, engaged, and supported. “The youth project service helped me a lot. It gave me support, advice, and confidence. I met new people, improved my communication skills, and learned more about life in the UK. As a young refugee, the project made me feel welcome and supported. The outcome was that I became more confident, positive, and hopeful about my future. Thank you for your help and support”.
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Zak When Zak visited our youth project, he was terrified he was about to become homeless. His Personal Advisor had told him he would need to leave his accommodation at eighteen and the places he had viewed were far too expensive. He arrived overwhelmed, emotional and unsure what to do next. We helped Zak steady himself and made sure he knew he was not facing this alone. Together, we submitted several housing applications to YMCA, Norman Garsley, Broxtowe Youth, East Midlands Housing and Hope into Action. We also contacted his Personal Advisor to coordinate support and keep everything moving quickly. Zak secured city council accommodation before his deadline. With housing sorted, he became more involved in the youth project and is now one of our key volunteers, offering encouragement and peer support to other young people who arrive feeling just as lost as he once did. Zak’s volunteering and helping others shows the real impact of consistent youth project support.
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Creating safety, stability and community LGBT+ Project This project creates spaces where people can be themselves, feel safe and take part in community life, in the way they want to. Over the last year: 9 new clients joined the project 7 people were signposted to specialist LGBTQ+ services 2 clients received supporting letters for their asylum claims Clients took part in Pride and the Queer Solstice Ball 4 clients contributed to interpreter consultation work to improve accessibility and inclusion
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Creating safety, stability and community Pamoja Women’s Group Pamoja is a welcoming space where women come together each week to connect, try new things and build confidence. Our Pamoja Women’s Group has now been running for over 10 years, with women meeting every Friday for various activities, and a smaller group meeting at one of the initial accommodation hotels weekly on a Wednesday. At least 20 women attend each week and 45 different workshops were ran throughout the year, varying from dance and crafts to wellbeing, cookery, massage, equine therapy, drumming and various art workshops supported by one of our kind volunteers. Alongside this, we’ve provided trips to Nottingham Castle, Nottingham Playhouse and Lincoln. These experiences enable the women to learn new things, experience new activities and just be themselves, away from the isolation, loneliness and challenges of seeking asylum in the UK.
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Creating safety, stability and community
Café Narjis Café Narjis is a lively kitchen and café space powered by volunteers, where good food and friendly conversations give people a breather from everything else going on. Our kitchen serves 1,440 hot meals each month. A team of over 25 volunteers keeps everything running. Every day there’s a chef, an assistant, two volunteers managing the kitchen space, and another looking after the café area so it stays welcoming for everyone. We cook dishes from different countries so people can enjoy familiar meals and feel more at home. Many clients tell us how much it means to see food from their own country being shared with others. To make the café a more relaxed space, we added a small board‑games area. It gives people something to do while waiting for appointments and has helped build friendships, ease stress and create a warm, friendly atmosphere. We ran five baking and cooking sessions with the women’s group. Women shared recipes from their home countries, cooked together and built confidence in a supportive space.
“I enjoy this place; it’s cosy and beautiful. I feel welcomed every time I visit.”
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Amna "Volunteering helped me feel more confident and gave me hope for my future. I learned new skills, and now I believe I can start my own business one day."
Like so many of the people we meet, when Amna arrived in Nottingham as a new refugee she wanted to rebuild her confidence, find some work experience and feel part of her new community. She started volunteering in our kitchen as a chef, and it didn’t take long for her mouthwatering Sudanese dishes to become a favourite with staff, volunteers and visitors. Amna quickly became known for her reliability, hard work and the care she put into keeping the kitchen clean and welcoming. She brightened everyone’s day with her warmth and positivity, and through volunteering, she began to grow in confidence, improve her communication skills and feel more connected to others. Joining Pamoja Women’s Group helped her meet new friends and feel more at home, giving her the courage to think about her future in a more hopeful way. Empowered by the support, training and encouragement from our Front of House Coordinator, Amna applied for a cleaning role at Nottingham Refugee Forum and was successful! She still volunteers in the café, including on our new ‘Migrant Table’ project, where she teaches supporters how to make her signature dishes while raising money for the café at the same time. Excitingly, she’s now saving towards her dream of starting her own food business, sharing her exquisite homemade meals with even more people! Seeing Amna’s confidence and skills grow, from a new volunteer in the café to a valued member of our staff team, shows the full circle of support, empowerment and independence that our volunteering project helps bring to life for people rebuilding their futures.
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Growing confidence, skills and leadership Through learning and volunteering opportunities, we support people seeking safety to gain confidence, new skills and practical tools that open up their future, focus on improving their mental health and support long‑term independence in the UK.
Grassroots Garden Project The Grassroots Garden continued to be a lively, welcoming space where people could learn new skills, build confidence and spend time in nature. 34 volunteers have been involved in the project, 22 of whom had lived experience They helped us make the garden into a truly community‑led space. The garden is open four days a week, which offers routine, connection and a calm environment for people who often have little stability elsewhere. We’re proud that five volunteers completed a 10‑week core garden skills course at St Ann’s Allotments, and one volunteer progressed to a City & Guilds Level 2 Horticulture qualification, a professionally recognised route into further training and employment. The Garden Team ran five Family Fun Days attended by over 300 people including children, clients and volunteers who took part in nature crafts, treasure hunts, mask‑making and bug‑printing.
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Grassroots Garden Project Clients also took part in smaller activities, including seed‑planting sessions where over 20 women planted chilli, pepper and tomato seeds to take home. Three clients joined the RHS Grow With Us programme, and one now regularly helps with watering and maintenance. A group of nine clients and volunteers visited Wollaton Hall to explore the restored walled garden and meet the volunteers behind it. The garden produced a huge range of fresh food for our café chefs, courgettes, tomatoes, salads, beans, beetroot, chard, fennel, squashes, pumpkins, herbs and soft fruit, all grown and harvested by volunteers. We also raised £150 and spoke to countless visitors while running a stall at Nottingham Organic Gardeners’ Potato Day, helping spread the word about the project. The year ended with two major achievements: Receiving the Wilder Nottingham Community Award by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust Winning the GrowWild grant from Kew Gardens to make our wildlife area more accessible next year The garden is enjoyed by families, and celebrated across the city. It’s a place of pride, confidence and belonging thanks to our dedicated volunteers.
Garden Volunteer Lasha shared his story of volunteering in the garden, you can watch the video here:
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Amde “I am so happy with the support I have received from the Forum. I love volunteering in the garden, taking care of it and picking vegetables. I have made friends from all over the world. Their support for my running journey has also been amazing" When Amde first came to Nottingham Refugee Forum, he needed a lot of support with his asylum claim and quickly got to know our advisors well. While working through his case, he applied to BEGIN, which meant he could start English classes at WEA and Belong. He was also keen to learn new skills outdoors, so Jo, our garden worker, recommended him for a ten‑week Core Gardening Skills course at St Ann’s Allotments. We soon learned that Amde was a long‑distance runner back home. With a bit of encouragement, he decided to keep going with it here and take on a half marathon, which he absolutely smashed. In 2025, he ran the Robin Hood Half Marathon and came 15th overall, just five minutes behind first place, all while raising money for Nottingham Refugee Forum. Advisors helped him find a running club and a coach, and he’s now taking his training much more seriously, regularly competing in local and national races, and he hopes to beat his half marathon time to qualify for the London Marathon in 2027. Amde was granted refugee status last year. Since completing the gardening course, he’s secured paid gardening work, and he continues to run and train, taking part in races both locally and nationally. We can’t wait to see him run for Nottingham Refugee Forum again this year and to see where he places!
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Growing confidence, skills and leadership Volunteering A whopping 213 people have volunteered for Nottingham Refugee Forum over the last year, a number we’re really proud of. 43% have lived experience of asylum, 91 new volunteers joined us over the last year and of the 34 nationalities represented, the top three represented are British, Sudanese and Eritrean. This year, we entered the process of reaccreditation with Investing in Volunteers (IIV). Our assessor was impressed: there is no organisation quite like us that has achieved IIV! And we achieved the quality standard for the 3rd time!
“Volunteering is enjoyable because everyone is ready to give you a hand whenever you need it. It’s friendly, like a large family”
More than 50 volunteers took part in the volunteer survey which showed how important volunteering is to the volunteers, especially those with lived experience. The 5 things about volunteering that our volunteers appreciate the most are: team spirit and sense of belonging, making a difference, supportive supervisors, personal growth and community and social connection. Volunteer feedback shows a deeply positive, committed, and diverse volunteer community. Volunteers overwhelmingly feel valued, supported, connected, motivated and proud of their contribution.
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Growing confidence, skills and leadership Client Participation Our lived‑experience leadership work ensures refugees shape decisions, influence priorities and lead from within our organisation, building a community guided by people who know the asylum system first‑hand. As part of our commitment to increasing representation across our organisation, we’re creating meaningful ways for Experts by Experience to guide our work, offering space to comment on services, contribute ideas and raise awareness of the challenges facing their communities. To take this forward, the Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) has been set up, alongside a co‑produced Client Participation Strategy. 3 volunteers and 1 staff member attended the first meeting in February 2026.
Across wider participation activities this year: Around 150 people attended the Christmas celebration. A total of 145 families were supported, including approximately 300 children aged 0–13. Over 500 gifts were distributed. Gedling Community group provided the highest level of contribution among our brilliant community partners.
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Voices in Refuge Making Everybody Heard
Voices in Refuge Interpreting Service is made up of 15 volunteers, 8 staff interpreters and 3 operational staff. We also have 38 freelance interpreters, most of whom have experience of the asylum system. This reflects the full circle of support that we are able to provide to people who arrive in Nottingham seeking asylum. We have empowered them through providing community interpreting courses, and many of them are now volunteering or working as interpreters, serving other people seeking safety in the community.
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Voices in Refuge Making Everybody Heard
“Thank you very much for the amazing course you gave us. It was lovely, attractive, informative, funny, skillful, and very mandatory specially for those of us who like to be in our community and helping them in a professional way.”
“I would like to thank you everyone for the excellent training course materials, the wealth of interesting information, and the role-playing exercises, which made me more confident. I really enjoyed this course and appreciate everything very much. I look forward to working with you in the future.”
Highlights
151 community interpreters trained, a 39% increase on last year Received £29,700 in funding to deliver training locally and nationally. Delivered 2880 hours of interpreting for Nottingham Refugee Forum’s programmes (excluding general advice) and £59,291 worth of interpreting externally.
Visit www.voicesinrefuge.com to find out more
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Fundraising The media, government and rising hostility among the public have made this a very difficult year for refugee rights. As an organisation, we’ve also faced serious funding challenges. Through all of this, the kindness of our supporters meant we could keep showing up for people who needed us. Behind every pound raised is one of the many stories you’ve read here of someone finding safety, direction or hope, whether through urgent casework, a warm conversation in the café or a volunteering opportunity.
Fundraising Highlights A record‑breaking Big Give Christmas Challenge raised £13,582 for RASAP. Our largest ever team of runners in the 2025 Robin Hood Half Marathon raised £6,119. The annual Come and Sing with John Rutter raised £13,416 to support our core services, including advice. Thank you and ways to support A huge thank you to all the trusts, foundations, groups, individuals and supporters who have backed our work financially this year. The services we provide simply wouldn’t be possible without you, and we’re deeply grateful for your continued kindness. If you’d like to support our work, the most effective long‑term way is by setting up a regular donation. This year, we’ve partnered with Farewill to give supporters the chance to update or write their Will for free. Please scan for your Free Will Guide and to find out more.
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Finance Breakdown Below you’ll find a breakdown of the year’s income and how we used it to help those we support to access advice, receive practical support and feel at home.
Income April 2025 - March 2026 Other: cafe, boxing, rental and Voices in Refuge income £79,765 Donations and Legacies £164,388 Resettlement Income £522,296
Grants £319,532 Local Authority funded £191,750
Expenditure April 2025 - March 2026 Operational Costs £392,232
Resettlement Project £437,442
Interpreting £149,725 Other Frontline Services £144,754
Advice Services £212,051
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Refugee Week 2025 doubled up as our 25th Birthday Party, check out the film that was made and the celebrations that took place!
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The Sycamore Centre 33a Hungerhill Rd NG3 4NB Nottingham
www.nottsrefugeeforum.org.uk
0115 960 1230
Registered Charity: 1121560
info@nottsrefugeeforum.org.uk