Founded in 1999, West End Refugee Service began with a simple act of practical solidarity: helping refugees and people seeking asylum access clothing and basic support when they had very little. From those early beginnings, WERS has grown into a trusted organisation supporting people across Newcastle and the North East for over 25 years.
From helping newly arrived people understand life in Newcastle through our New to Newcastle project, to building skills and confidence through Skillsmatch, and supporting mental and physical wellbeing through our activities and community programmes, our work is shaped around the real needs of the people we support.
What started with clothing support developed into advice, advocacy, hardship support, befriending, family groups, volunteering opportunities and social activities.
Today, alongside our essential advice, advocacy and support services, we offer programmes that help people feel safe, connected and able to move forward with confidence — while using what we learn from their experiences to influence decisions, challenge barriers and help change the systems that shape their lives.
As the world has changed, WERS has changed with it. We now work through outreach, partnerships and community locations across the region, while continuing to respond to gaps in local support. Our Board of Trustees, staff and volunteers all help shape our direction, making sure the voices of people with lived experience of the UK asylum system remain central to what we do.
Since 1999, we have:
Helped over 12,000 people seeking sanctuary
Supported individuals from more than 70 different countries
Handed out over 80,000 food parcels
Worked with over 50 local organisations to provide volunteer placements
Distributed over £1,000,000 via our Hardship Fund
Handed out 1000’s of Christmas shoe box gifts to our clients
Offered more than 100,000 hours of one to one support
