Caritas Southwark is delighted to share that funding has been secured through the Archbishop’s Appeal to support UK Welcomes Refugees and their Rebuilding Belonging project in Sutton.
The initiative brings together newcomers and long-term residents to build friendships, strengthen community ties and create spaces where everyone feels they belong. It offers a practical response to the challenges of loneliness, division and disconnection that many people face today.
Earlier this year, we joined a community picnic organised by UK Welcomes Refugees, which brought together local residents and members of the Hong Kong community living in Sutton. The event was a wonderful example of how food, conversation and shared stories can foster mutual understanding and genuine welcome.
With the new funding, UK Welcomes Refugees will be able to expand this work through local parishes and community groups, continuing to host gatherings and conversations that help people connect across cultures and backgrounds.
The Rebuilding Belonging approach focuses on listening, relationship-building, and shared participation — creating warm, welcoming spaces where refugees, migrants and local people can meet and form lasting bonds of friendship and trust.
Caritas Southwark looks forward to supporting the development of this partnership in the months ahead, helping more parishes take part in this vital mission of welcome and community building.
