West London Welcome is a free drop-in centre for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants and the first of its kind in the area. The centre caters primarily to vulnerable displaced individuals and communities who have settled in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and the wider London area. We were set up by local people active in Hammersmith's Refugees Welcome Group, and opened our doors in January 2018.
Why the community needs usWe know that it takes time to find a way to belong, especially after leaving one's own country under traumatic conditions, so we strive to give people that time. We work together to build a safe, positive experience of community. The centre provides a warm space for people to come in out of the cold, make friends, learn English, share ideas, get legal advice and casework support, take various creative and educational classes, and escape often chaotic accommodation and isolation.
Our impact on the communityWe support on average 40 visitors at each drop-in day. The majority of those in need are from Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) but also from Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Sudan, Cameroon, Egypt, Palestine, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Pakistan. Visitors, staff and volunteers work together in the space to lead projects and sessions collectively, which means friendships are developed and sustained over time.
