To celebrate #RefugeeWeek2026, colleagues at Solace ticked off 2 of the 5 ways to wellbeing this morning by completing Potternewton #Parkrun this morning. "get active" "make connections" and well done to Rose who also ticked off "try something new" as a first time parkrunner. It was brilliant!

We are celebrating 20 years of Solace next week! We're hosting a special online event on the 17th at 10am with a range of other organisations You will hear about practical, meaningful ways to support the well-being of refugees and people seeking asylum Book Free: bit.ly/49P3hvT

Our June blog introduces you to another one of our free resources We have written a series of practical and reflective papers grounded in our frontline therapeutic experience Designed for professionals who work with refugees and asylum seekers www.solace-uk.org.uk/blog/sharing...

We had our Million Acts of Hope shared lunch last week, with clients & staff! Here are some of the hearts we made: “Hope is being believed, hope is my fuel for life, hope is brilliant”

Some of our staff have opened their homes for long terms stays to refugees, 5+ years through official schemes They had nothing but positive things to say about these refugees, despite everything those refugees had been through #MillionActsofHope @refugeestogether.bsky.social

We have some free training coming up for people working and volunteering in Leeds. Working with interpreters in a mental health setting. 29/01/2026 10.30-13.00. For more details www.solace-uk.org.uk/training/spe...

Hope can be stronger than hate. From 13 – 20 May, we at Together With Refugees are joining A Million Acts of Hope — a week of action to amplify the hope we see in our communities every day. Be part of it. millionactsofhope.org #amillionactsofhope #togetherwithrefugees #🧡

Our 2nd blog is live on our website! It's from our Clinical Director Anne, she explores the lesser discussed points of Maslow’s work and how this applies to sanctuary seekers Full Blog: www.solace-uk.org.uk/blog/how-mas...

Why unregulated advice finds a market Asylum Seekers are in a constant struggle for access to legal aid Massive repeated funding cuts lead to a few desperate individuals being led astray out of 100,000s 51% of asylum applicants were unable to find a legal aid lawyer Read more here

This week our clinical director Anne celebrated 20 years with us! Anne has been with Solace since the beginning and has shaped our wonderful services with compassion and a great deal of skill Peter Coltman our treasurer was one of the trustees who interviewed and appointed Anne. Good choice Peter!

A BBC program episode has investigated fabricated LBGTQI+ asylum claims, however they didn't investigate how many cases there are at all. Only 2% of asylum claims even included sexual orientation as a reason Solace has signed Rainbow Migration's statement, read it here

From assimilation to real belonging The question was, “How do we keep communities calm?” When it should have been, “How do we help communities thrive together?” www.bigissue.com/opinion/refu...

We are starting our new series of monthly blogs today! Expect updates on what we're up to, what we're noticing, articles from our team members, and more! The first is from Kathryn, our CEO! Full Blog - www.solace-uk.org.uk/blog/hearing...

Lovely feedback from a client: I have been granted refugee status! Looking back at where I was when we started our sessions I wasn’t sure I would make it to this point. The uncertainty and weight of everything were so difficult to carry but your support and patience gave me the tools to keep going."

Many of our clients end up starting businesses, so this comes as no surprise to us We also see how even small support can massively help their businesses With proper support, it's projected they can produce 5.1 billion per year squareup.com/gb/en/press/...

We asked our clients to tell us how we had helped them - here's some of the things they said: I'm amazed how the sessions helped me to feel confident again and how to handle the sadness. SOLACE was the only my Life Saver and I am proud to say with respect, because of SOLACE, I'm living today

@mindwellleeds.bsky.social Please help to share the fantastic resources on our website which can really help refugees and asylum seekers improve their mental health www.solace-uk.org.uk/training/hel... Topics include stress, sleep, and many more. This can really help over the holidays especially

We are feeling festive at Solace today and our office looks lovely. Looking forward to the performance by our drama group shortly.

Along with many others, Solace is very concerned about the proposed changes to the asylum system. We hope that common sense will prevail and the ideas will not be implemented. Read our initial response here: www.solace-uk.org.uk/difference-w...

A place to heal: How asylum accommodation re-traumatises torture survivors www.freedomfromtorture.org/news-and-sto... @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social

In her proposed changes to the asylum system the Home Secretary referred to the anger some people in the UK feel at the moment. People seeking protection in the UK are being used as scapegoats to deflect anger away from the problems that really need tackling. Communities need connecting not dividing

We know why people come to the UK: because they already have family here, they speak some English, or they have long-standing ties that help them rebuild their lives in safety.

Solace has been part of the wonderful Spring Project in Sheffield since 2018. We met up as partner organisations yesterday and it was fantastic to talk about how our shared values really shine through. "We do things differently because we see that it works!" www.vas.org.uk/what-we-do/s...

Stress Awareness Week is coming to an end But that doesn't mean people stop supporting you in your fight against stress We have many proven techniques to lower stress, sleep, relax, ease body tension, relieve headaches etc www.solace-uk.org.uk/training/hel... This video continues over there!

Separation from family members doesn’t just hurt emotionally; it stops people from being able to rebuild their lives. "You can’t settle into a new community, learn, work, or heal when part of you is still unsafe". Family reunion is critical for refugees. assets.redcross.org.uk/82b1e254-552...

Charities rely on their Trustees to set the direction of the organisation but also to step in to help with many practical things. I want to say a huge thank you to our inspirational Solace Trustees. They are a fantastic bunch of knowledgeable people, and they are incredibly supportive. THANK YOU!

Hey Keir Starmer, get the memo? We’ve delivered thousands of messages to Number 10 from our supporters, with the help of some digi-vans! People are fed up with politicians choosing failed policies and scapegoating over investing in all communities. Time for real change.

'28 days to destitution". Thankyou for outlining the huge challenges refugees face in the first month after getting their status. Its still shocking and good to be reminded how brutal this is.

This is a brilliant report by @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social which explains the reality of asylum accommodation and the impact on it has on the recovery process for survivors of torture. www.freedomfromtorture.org/sites/defaul...

Did you know you can support asylum seekers improve their mental health by using our video resources? www.solace-uk.org.uk/training/hel... Topics include stress, sleep, and many more. Tell us what issues you want help with and we will send a personalised response: forms.office.com/e/48CUYhBbF5

🔴 FALSE 🔴 The UK is behind France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Greece, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands & more in asylum applications per capita While being the 2nd richest country in Europe

This statement from people living in asylum hotels in Greater Manchester is a compassionate response to the rise in violent protests written by people who are living it every day. I hope it leads to more nuanced conversations and understanding. Thankyou to everyone involved in putting it together.

Many countries have banned asylum seekers from working 🚨Not a single country saw a reduction in asylum cases the following few years, not even a simple correlation🚨 94% of asylum seekers want to work, if their work ban were lifted, they could add £333 million annually to the economy

Thankyou @imixuk.bsky.social for the workshop today sharing such useful information about crisis communications. Hearing about the abuse and misinformation charities have endured recently is shocking.

Toay is #worldmentalhealthday and Solace is stressing the word "world". Whoever you are and whatever your background we stand alongside you today with warm wishes and welcome.

There is so much focus on division so today it is great to come together with other charities, services and local authorities to discuss how we can provide welcome and safety. @migrationyorkshire.bsky.social

Today feels like a good day to remember that most of us believe in welcome 💜 Here are some of the thousands of messages we've received from supporters recently. We'll be delivering them to Number 10, because it seems the government needs this reminder too.

No refugee lives an easy life UK has stripped £5bn in aid including funds that work to prevent conflicts by 45% Slashing support in refugee hotspots and wanting there to be fewer refugees is comical Immigration is blamed when no country's research has come close to proving that immigration is bad

Maryam, an architect, left Afghanistan but it was art that freed her from her mental battle For a long time, she felt she couldn’t do anything useful She was able to express her feelings and take a break from her harsh reality We take this and combine it with proven therapeutic techniques

Asylum Seekers are easily blamed for problems they have no part in You can send a quick positive message or story about asylum seekers with this link and it will be delivered directly to 10 Downing Street! act.refugee-action.org.uk/page/175622/... All thanks to @refugeeaction.bsky.social

A court just gave these violent demonstrators what they wanted. After weeks of disorder, the Epping hotel won't house people seeking asylum. No one should have to live in hotels. But this sets a terrifying precedent. Government must step up to protect people from more violent demos.

We join 200+ organisations to stand in solidarity with those affected by the recent anti-refugee protests. We must stand in unity rather than division. Hope rather than hate. @refugeestogether.bsky.social #TogetherWithRefugees togetherwithrefugees.org.uk/far-right-re...

🚨 Vital conversations about violence against women are being hijacked by an anti-migrant agenda. We're one of 200 organisations working to end violence against women urging the government to address the harmful and dangerous weaponisation of VAWG #NotInOurName

Today there is a lot of attention on the hotels where families fleeing violence and war temporarily live. This is their home. Whilst there are calls for protests which spread fear, the need to be kind and demonstrate basic compassion is needed more than ever.

Our clinical director Anne, explains how the Solace Child and Family Well Being Support Service Prevented the separation of children from their parents To learn the specifics on how you can also prevent similar cases, please have a look at our new webinars www.solace-uk.org.uk/training/cfw...

If you work with refugees, our new webinars are some of the best free resources Understand refugee mental health, be trauma informed and help navigate the UK's complex systems With specific webinars each for education, health & social care professionals www.solace-uk.org.uk/training/cfw...