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: admin@garas.org.uk
www.garas.org.uk

Director
Warren Lee

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GARAS’ Annual Report 2024-25

We are delighted to share our Annual Report from the Financial Year 2024-25. This report details the work that we did across the 12 months.

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Stories from Our Homes

This beautiful book was created specially for GARAS’ 25th anniversary in 2024 and is still available to purchase, with all profits going towards the work of GARAS. Long-term supporter, Jude Emmet, together with GARAS clients and friends, collected 31 stories from 25 different countries around the world. They were put into a book which has been beautifully illustrated by a former client of GARAS. Copies cost £20 each, and can be purchased by sending Jennie an email (admin@garas.org.uk).

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GARAS History

For GARAS’ 25th anniversary in 2024, this PowerPoint was created to give an overview of the past 25 years of our work. Please view it via this link.

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Southwest Immigration Alliance

There is shortage of legal advice – particularly immigration advice – across the Southwest, which has a huge affect on our clients.

GARAS is excited to be part of a new partnership, The Southwest Immigration Alliance, a project funded by the Justice Together Initiative (JTI) to increase access to specialist immigration advice in the Southwest region. See this article for further information.

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Ukraine

Our Ukrainian Advice and Support Team are available over the phone or at our regular drop in sessions (Monday, 10am-2pm; Wednesday, 10am-2pm; Friday, 10am-2pm). Please do get in touch with this team if you are Ukrainian and are hosting family, or are a UK host under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

For other details of the local response in Gloucester, please visit this page on the Gloucester County Council website.

If you would like to register your home to host a Ukrainian family, please visit the government website: https://homesforukraine.campaign.gov.uk/. Alternatively, please visit Refugees at Home, a charity that has vast experience of hosting refugees, to find out more about offering your home through them.

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Green Impact

GARAS believes in the re-use, re-purposing and re-cycling of goods and services to support vulnerable clients from all over the globe as they regain independence, re-gain dignity, re-gain their lives and move forward. We are hugely excited to announce that we have been presented with a Platinum Award for our Green Impact. To read the full report, please click here.

We have a green commitment policy which includes being part of the Fareshares food waste redistribution programme. FareShare is the UK’s national network of charitable food redistributors, fighting hunger whilst tackling food waste: https://fareshare.org.uk/. We also help match items of furniture, bikes, household goods and other items with clients, reducing the number of items going to landfill, as well as being of huge benefit to our clients.

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All They Will Call You

GARAS volunteer, Ian Parker-Dodd, has written a collection of poetry entitled All They Will Call You.  Ian says, “this book was inspired in the time that I spent helping teach unaccompanied migrant children at GARAS for the four years leading up to the pandemic.”  As well as the thought-provoking, and at times provocative, poems, there are additional prose contributions from others connected to GARAS.

The stunning front cover is a Derek Robertson painting, Children of the Clouds, and the book has been thoughtfully and beautifully produced.  Adele Owen, Director of GARAS, says “this is an inspirational book.  As I read some of the poems, I was transported afresh into the world and experience of others.  We are delighted and privileged to have worked alongside Ian over the years, and for this book to be one of the positive results of his work with us.”

All They Will Call You is available to buy from GARAS, at a cost of £10 per copy, with a voluntary donation of £1.50 to cover p&p.  All proceeds will go towards the work of GARAS.  If you would like to purchase a copy, please email admin@garas.org.uk.

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Kinder Transport Anniversary Celebration

Here is a link to a You Tube video of the amazing event held at St Mary de Crypt on the 18th June 2019. This is an opportunity to hear the speakers from that occasion and be moved by the various stories told that night.

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