The RSMP has funded a number of voluntary groups across the North West to support BN(O) visa holders until June 2025.
As part of the North West Hong Kong Welcome Hubs Community Network grant programme three organisations have been funded approximately £50,000 each to lead on supporting BN(O) visa holders in their areas, they are:
- In Greater Manchester – Hong Kong Cultural Community
- In Liverpool City Region – Wirral Change
- In Cheshire – Cheshire, Halton & Warrington Race & Equality Centre
- Work is ongoing to fund an organisation to lead on support in Lancashire & Cumbria
Each of these organisations will be offering bespoke support to BN(O) visa holders in the communities they live in, as well as engaging with local authorities, local services, and other voluntary groups in these areas to ensure the Hong Kong community is represented at all levels. More information on each programme of support and how to contact these organisations is below.
Greater Manchester
Hong Kong Cultural Community are a Hongkonger-led VCSE organisation based in Greater Manchester, they have been awarded £50,000 to deliver for the next 10 months. HKCC have established themselves as one of the leading Hong Kong community groups in the region securing partnerships and funding from several organisations and have been committed to supporting the Hong Kong community and local communities where they are based, even being awarded a points of light award by the Prime Minister in 2024. They will be leading a consortium of 5 organisations to deliver an array of integration activities and community development work right across the city-region. Activity includes:
- English language support for older people
- Workshops for Children in Trafford
- Mental Health Support for Hongkongers
- Cultural events to bring Hongkongers and local people together
- Referral pathways for BN(O)s into other support
- Small grants to local VCSE organisations
Consortium partners are:
- Hong Kong Cultural Community
- Bonham Tree Aid CIC
- Migrant Support
- Salford Hongkongers CIC
- Stockport Hongkongers CIC
To access the services they are offering, or to refer people you support to them for further support please see their website or email [email protected]
Website link to Hong Kong Cultural Community
Liverpool City Region
Wirral Change are a well established organisation that have been supporting migrants and ethnic minorities since 2006, and have been heavily involved in supporting Hongkongers since the launch of the BN(O) visa in 2021. They previously supported Hongkongers as they first began to settle in the Wirral area delivering workshops for BN(O) families on everything from settling in a new area to schools and employment, empowering Hongkongers to begin their new lives. Since then they have built on this delivering bespoke employment programmes, cultural events, and addressing social isolation. They have been awarded £50,000 to deliver across the Liverpool City Region for the next 10 months a programme including:
- One to one Information, Advice and Guidance sessions to BN(O) families and individuals
- A Mid-Autumn Festival, Lunar New Year Event and Summer Festival
- To deliver a structured ESOL programme for BN(O) visa holders
- Cultural sensitivity training to local services
- Support the capacity of other VCSE groups to support BN(O)s
- Support community leaders within the Hongkonger community
To access the services they are offering, or to refer people you support to them for further support please see their website, use their contact form or call them on 0151 649 8177
Website link for Wirral Change contact form
Cheshire
Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Race & Equality Centre (CHAWREC) have been operating and supporting ethnic minorities within Cheshire and surrounding areas since 1995 and in the last 7 years have been supporting growing and changing migrant communities in the county. They have been supporting Hongkongers since the launch of the visa and have been funded by the RSMP and Central government over this time. They have supported BN(O) visa holders with advice and support on topics such as Life in the UK, taxation, employment, education, immigration and English language. They have delivered cultural events and lantern festivals, and have now been awarded £49,945 to deliver a programme of support over the next 10 months which includes:
- One to one advice and support for BN(O) households and families.
- Conversation cafes and English language referrals across the county
- Life in the UK sessions and support in locations across Cheshire
- OISC Level 2 advice if needed.
- Large and small cultural and social events across the county, aligning with significant moments in the Hong Kong calendar
- Capacity building of local community groups in Cheshire to further support Hongkongers
To access the services they are offering, or to refer people you support to them for further support please see their website or contact [email protected] or [email protected]