Our Mission

At GARAS (Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers) we offer support to those seeking asylum in Gloucestershire, welcoming them when they arrive, advocating for them in their daily struggles, supporting them if they face being sent back as well as helping them adjust to their long term future if they are recognised as refugees.

Contact Information

Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (GARAS)
The Trust Centre
Falkner St
Gloucester
GL1 4SQ

Telephone: 01452 550528
General enquiries: info@garas.org.uk
Administrative enquiries: admin@garas.org.uk
www.garas.org.uk

Director
Adele Owen

Refugee Crisis – Fostering Support Needed

January 6, 2016

MPs are backing plans to bring 3000 children to the UK, who are unaccompanied minors in Europe. These children will need foster carers. If you are interested in being a foster carer, please go through the usual channels. Locally, that would be to Gloucestershire County Council or foster charities and agencies such as Community Foster Care and Fostering Matters. When you get in touch with them, you can say you are willing to support an unaccompanied asylum seeking child.

Syrian Resettlement

December 4, 2015

We are pleased to be able to announce at last that we will be working to resettle Syrian refugees direct from refugee camps in Gloucestershire!  Meetings that began in the summer were soon accelerated with the amazing outpouring of public support in early autumn, which led to the Government pledging to resettle 20 000 Syrians over the next five years.  A small number of those will come to Gloucestershire.

We are working closely with the district councils and county council and have recruited three resettlement support workers.  The are already well connected and come with brilliant experience and network contacts.  They will work to support the families settling into their new communities throughout the county, familiarising them with the locality and assisting their access to healthcare, education and employment.

We are so thankful for all the amazing offers of support and donations that keep coming in.  They will help not only those resettling on this new programme, but also with the existing clients to which we remain thoroughly committed.  We are confident that with the help of volunteers and the wider community, we will help our new neighbours in feeling as if they are a part of a connected society.

October 30, 2015

Knitathon

You are welcome to attend a Knitathon on 14th November 2015 10am-3pm St Edwards Church Stow in aid of GARAS.

The pattern for the scarf

You will need 1 pair of 5mm knitting needles (old size 6) and balls of aran-weight knitting wool – different colours if you like.  (NB The majority of our clients are men, so you may like to choose masculine colours for the wool.)

To make the scarf in stocking stitch:
Cast on 50 stitches.  Row 1: K50. Row 2: P50
Continue alternating K and P rows until the garment measures ten inches.  Change to the second colour and continue until you have ten inches of this colour.  Continue in alternating ten-inch blocks of colour until the scarf measures about 5 feet.  Cast off.

To make the scarf in garter stitch:
Cast on 50 stitches.
Row 1 onwards: K50
When the garment measures ten inches, change to the second colour.  Continue in alternating ten-inch blocks of colour until the scarf measures about 5 feet. Cast off.
THANK YOU AND HAPPY KNITTING!

Job Vacancy

October 29, 2015

Resettlement Support Worker

Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers is seeking applications for the Post of Resettlement Support Worker

Full Time: 37.5  Hours a week (with some ‘on call’ requirements)
Salary: £22.212 NJC Scale 25
Location: Gloucester but some travel required
Closing date: 9am Monday 16th November 2015
Interview date: Tuesday 24th November 2015

This one year post aims to work with Syrian Refugees arriving in Gloucester/shire under the Syrian Resettlement Scheme and help them to start their new lives in the UK. This will   involve supporting individuals and families through the stages of integration, including preparation and planning prior to their arrival; housing; financial support; access into education; health and employment.

Closing Date for Applications: 9am on Monday 16th November 2015.
Post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Checks.
For information and application pack including job description, please e-mail: info@garas.org.uk or telephone: 01452 550528.

Jumble Sale

October 21, 2015

Some of our friends who have been supporting the Calais Refugee Camp are holding a

Jumble Sale

at

St Barnabas Church Hall, Stroud Rd, Gloucester

on

Saturday 31st October,

11am – 1pm

Clothing, Bric-a-Brac, Books, Toys – go and grab a bargain!

Plus Raffle & Refreshments

This will be supporting Medecins sans Frontieres and ‘Children of The Jungle’, organisations who are working in the Calais Refugee Camp.

Admission: Adults 30p

A poster to download and print off is available here: 31st Oct Jumble Sale Calais .