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Anti-Destitution
Project Leader: Gemma Pillay Project Team Members: Gemma Pillay, Ivan Mvuyekure Number of Volunteers: 25 Number of clients served: 106 total (94 M – 12 F) Number of New Cases: 32
Project Description Saturday Food Group
• Food bank offering selection of groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables and toiletries – collected from the
Refugee Forum • Clothes bank • Social space for clients
Cash Group
• £40 per four weeks given to each individual • Four-weekly update with each client • On-going casework and referrals
Support applications
• Applications for Section 4 and Schedule 10 support when eligible • All follow-up work which includes handling further information requests, preparing appeals, allocation of accommodation and post-dispersal
Referrals
• Internal referrals to Into the Mainstream, ESOL, New
Refugee Clinic, Women’s Group • External referrals to Nottingham Arimathea Trust,
Host Nottingham, Social Services, British Red Cross,
Bhatia Best Solicitors, ASAP
Project Successes
• Red Rose Hardship Fund – British Red Cross: total of £19,800 paid to 55 clients • 24 clients have moved on to Section 4 support • 14 clients have been granted Leave to Remain • Return of clients coming to NNRF for food and cash collections • Cloud Video Platform (CVP) support appeal hearings taking place at NNRF, expanding our service to clients applying for Section 4 support and challenging negative decisions • 954 food collections
Plans and hopes for the coming year
• Hot food to resume at the Saturday Food Group • Expansion of the Anti-Destitution Team following new funds granted for Anti-Destitution Project
Appreciation: we would like to thank…
As always the volunteers have made this project happen, offering their time, skills and care throughout this incredibly challenging year. Bhatia Best Solicitors - legal challenges to support application delays Asylum Support Appeals Project - advocating for and representing our clients at the Asylum Support Tribunal. Host Nottingham - running the clothes bank and hosting many of our clients over the year Nottingham Arimathea Trust - accommodation and support provision for our clients throughout the year.
“The Saturday Group nurtures people with more than food. It provides emotional as well as practical support, helping people engage with life”
SFG volunteer.
“Hi my name is Keith and I have been using the project for over a year now. The project is of huge benefit to me in terms of services they provide from clothes, referrals to legal services, food and money. This charity has a good track record in helping others . Thank you for your charitable causes which helped me through the lock down and to date. The staff are very warm and welcoming. All members of staff work tirelessly to help us.”
