Help refugees in the North West of England find their Welcome!

Speak to Emma Billington, Head of National Development for Welcome Churches  tel: 07926 445678, or email emma.billington@welcomechurches.org. She will be happy to help with your church’s needs.

Regional Need

From Afghan families being relocated at short notice, to those arriving from Hong Kong, planning a new life in the UK; from the recent influx of Ukrainian refugees, to the long-established dispersal housing for asylum seekers; from ‘temporary’ hotel accommodation, to destitution: there is a clear need for regional support across the North West of England. Local churches are excellently placed to ensure that those seeking refuge in the North West of England are welcomed into their local community. And Welcome Churches knows how important it is for these churches to be able to speak with someone for advice, to meet and discuss working with refugees in their local area, to have access to high-quality training and resources, and to make connections between various local agencies.

Local Response

Emma is our Regional Coordinator for the North West of England and is based near Wigan. Having worked as a primary school teacher for 30 years, much of that in London schools with a high percentage of pupils from refugee backgrounds, Emma moved to the North West in 2018. She started a support network for local refugees and people seeking asylum, which led to her working for Welcome Churches. She is keen to use her experience to support the local Church and is passionate about seeing local communities upskilled and supported to welcome those who are vulnerable and often marginalised by society.

Emma started working for Welcome Churches in November 2021. She is keen to:

  • engage with local churches, establishing strong relationships with and between churches across the North West of England

  • develop a better understanding of local needs

  • foster increased opportunities for regional training and collaboration, and

  • establish relationship-based partnerships to deliver key support.

  • Through her work, Welcome Churches can meet the needs of churches in the North West of England and provide the support required to assist in the integration of refugees and asylum seekers. Ultimately, we are seeking to achieve our aim: for all refugees to be welcomed by the local Church.

Future Direction

We are keen to hear from churches across the North of England. What would help your church in its work with asylum seekers and refugees? Please contact Rhiannon to share your thoughts and areas for future development for Welcome Churches across the North of England, or to find out how we can best support your church.

Supporting your region

You can help support our work, programmes and development in the North of England by donating today. Your donations help to develop strong partnerships that offer the best possible local, on-the-ground support to churches working with refugees. Donate now to support Welcome Churches projects across the North of England.