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

If you are able to help with any of these requests, please contact our office on 01452 550528, or info@garas.org.uk. Thank you!

.

Urgent Needs

We are in urgent need of tea, coffee, sugar and biscuits for drop in; toiletries (particularly hair conditioner and body lotion); and bike lights & D-locks. Any of these items can be delivered to the Trust Centre, Falkner Street, GL1 4SQ. Thank you!

..

Food, household goods and toiletries:

  • Download and print off shopping lists for ongoing, general practical donations here. In particular, we are in need of
    • tinned tomatoes
    • tinned pasta 
    • rice
    • tinned chickpeas
    • tinned fish
  • New or nearly new kettles, toasters & microwaves
  • Other kitchen items, such as crockery, cutlery, saucepans, etc
  • Toiletries, including sanitary towels

.

Educational materials for English classes:

.

Bikes:

Men’s and children’s bikes, in particular

.

Miscellaneous:

  • Rucksacks (daysacks) for students for school and college
  • Footballs, sizes 3, 4 and 5, which we can give to recently arrived refugee children
  • Laptops & tablets: many clients live in digital poverty, which has been made worse during Covid. Laptops and tablets enable children to access their schooling more easily, and adults to access job opportunities and benefits. We will ensure these are wiped of any previous information before passing them on

.

Christmas Appeal

Please see this list for small items that would make a huge difference to someone’s life at Christmas. Any of these items can be dropped off at The Trust Centre, Falkner Street, Gloucester, GL1 4SQ. Thank you!

.

We regret that we are unable to take the following donations:

  • Clothing: please take these along to a charity shop, for example the Salvation Army shop on Eastgate Street, GL1 1QU or Elim charity shop Lifelink, Park End Rd, GL1 5AN where clients can obtain them at an affordable price. 
  • Children’s items: we work closely with Gloucestershire Bundles so please refer to them for what they need – through their facebook page or website. Look out for details of their drop off days to find out which items they are accepting.