Grants to celebrate Refugee Week

Up to £2,000 is available to support activities and events that promote understanding, build relationships and bring people together across the borough during Refugee Week. 

Grants will be awarded on a, first come, first served basis, so we strongly encourage early applications. The scheme will close once all funds are allocated. People who have lived refugee experience will be part of the grants allocation process.  

Refugee Week will celebrate the strength and contributions of refugees in Wandsworth, aligned with the national theme ‘Community as a Superpower’. The funding will support initiatives that involve refugees and/or promote their history and contributions in Wandsworth. 

This Refugee Week marks one year since Wandsworth was officially recognised as a Borough of Sanctuary by City of Sanctuary UK in recognition of our work. We have built strong partnerships with local groups who helped draw up, and will help deliver, the Wandsworth Sanctuary Strategy.  

Wandsworth has a history of welcoming refugees going as far back as the Huguenots who settled here from France in the 17th century. This continues today, and since the start of the war in Ukraine, Wandsworth has found homes for around 1,200 Ukrainian refugees – one of the highest figures in London.  

Deputy Council Leader Kemi Akinola said: “We take our role as a Borough of Sanctuary very seriously and are committed to creating a more united community by bringing refugees and established citizens together. These refugee week small grants provide an opportunity for our voluntary sector partners to support us with this aim.” 

The Refugee Week grants are in addition to The Borough of Sanctuary Community Fund set up in 2022 to provide up to £10,000 to community and voluntary groups supporting refugees and asylum seekers to build new lives in our borough. 

Find out more about the Refugee Week grants, and other support.