Hope wins - thank you!

We’re delighted to share that thanks to your incredible generosity, we raised over £6,000 in our Summer Fundraising Campaign for Skillsmatch – that’s 120% of our £5,000 target.

Every single donation, share and word of encouragement has made a real difference. Thank you for proving once again that community spirit is stronger than ever in the North East!

But we also want to be honest: alongside your support, we’ve faced hostility. The work we do attracts negativity and hate – some of which has been directed at our website and social media, forcing us to block content in recent days. It’s disheartening, but it also reminds us why WERS exists: to challenge fear with solidarity and division with hope.

For every act of hostility, we see far more acts of kindness.

For every attempt to silence, there are voices – yours – that rise stronger. And for every barrier put in the way, our community shows that doors can still be opened.

WERS isn’t sustained by government funding. It’s sustained by people like you – individuals, communities, charitable foundations and partners – who believe in hope, opportunity and dignity for refugees and people seeking asylum.

If you’d like to keep standing with us, you can:

• Share our work with friends and family.

• Become a regular donor – even £5 or £10 a month makes a huge difference.

• Volunteer your time and skills.

Thank you for helping us show that, despite the challenges, hope always wins.