Wiltshire Community Foundation Charity of the Month: The Harbour Project

Since 2000 it has been home to The Harbour Project, a refuge for people fleeing oppressive regimes, security services and religious persecution. Swindon’s role as a Dispersal Town makes it a focal point for people trying to find a new, safer life for them and their families.

Once they arrive, often after perilous journeys, they enter the asylum system, are assigned accommodation by the Home Office and awarded £39.63 a week to live on. The Harbour Project helps them build their new life. “Our role is absolutely not building dependence, it’s about independence and getting our visitors to the point where they can help themselves,” said CEO Claire Garrett.

In normal times the tiny hall in Broad Street, Swindon, is crammed five days a week with up to 80 of the 500 asylum seekers and refugees the group has on its books to chat, seek help, share food and swap stories.

Although this melting pot of 46 nationalities has a lively and warm atmosphere it can be daunting for newcomers. “They are a bit scared and they might wonder if anyone is from the police or the authorities,” said Mrs Garrett. “But over time they grow in confidence, go to English classes and start to join in. Then we hear their voice.”

During the lockdowns support went online via English classes, a homework club and a women’s group on Zoom. Said Mrs Garrett: “We also had volunteers delivering food parcels, but it wasn’t just food, it was the fact someone was there for them.”

The charity helps asylum seekers register with GPs, schools and nurseries and find solicitors. They wait months or years while the Home Office assesses their case and are forbidden from working. If Leave to Remain is granted they have refugee status – but also just 28 days to leave their accommodation and support themselves.

Its Steps to Work programme helps with CVs, volunteering (two asylum seekers volunteered at GWH through the pandemic), job applications and training.

Mrs Garrett, who began as a volunteer after leaving a director’s job at BT in 2015 and became CEO in 2018, said: “There is an established refugee community in Swindon that is working and thriving. Around 60 per cent of people who arrive in Swindon stay here.

“The label of being an ‘asylum seeker’ or ‘refugee’ is a short-term thing that happens at one point in their lives. Swindon people come into contact with our visitors as taxi drivers, painters, health workers and all sorts of jobs and they would never know. Why would they? They are a part of our community.”

The charity needs £210,000 a year to keep eight staff and its volunteers operational. The bulk comes from the National Lottery Community Fund, Lloyds Bank Foundation, The Blagrove Trust and Swindon Borough Council but it has to raise £50,000 this year to plug the gap.

Some is from local funders like Wiltshire Community Foundation, which has awarded it almost £6,500 in Coronavirus Fund grants. “A proportion of our funding also normally comes from events like cake stalls and quiz nights,” said Mrs Garrett. “But we’ve not been able to do that this last year.”

She eagerly awaits post-lockdown days when the drop-in is full to bursting again, occasionally visited by refugees who have moved on.

“Months later they come back to tell us about a new house or job, a new marriage or children,” said Mrs Garrett. “Because where else would you want to go and tell your news? You want to go and tell your family.”

Find out how to help the group at harbourproject.org.uk

Wiltshire Community Foundation

WILTSHIRE Community Foundation began in Swindon in 1975 to tackle disadvantage and strengthen communities by inspiring philanthropy. Since then, we have awarded more than £17 million in grants to grass roots groups all over the county.

We support them with funding, advice and encouragement to empower them to make Swindon and Wiltshire a better place. We do this by helping people who want to support their community give where it is most needed. Find out more about us at wiltshirecf.org.uk