The North West Hong Kong Welcome Hub is happy to announce the recipients of our VCSE Small Grant applications.
11 organisations from across the North West have been funded to support BN(O) visa holders to settle, integrate, explore and thrive in the North West. The organisations funded are:
BN(O) Mothers Ethnodrama have been funded £5,000 to deliver a series of interviews with, and capture stories of, BN(O) Visa holder mothers in the UK. The visual interviews will published online and will be displayed in a 3-day bilingual exhibit in Greater Manchester featuring information on the settlement journeys of Hongkonger mothers to the North West. The project aims to foster a deeper sense of connection amongst the BN(O) community, support the mental well-being of the BN(O) mothers and their families, bridge cultural understanding and strengthen social cohesion amongst the wider local communities.
Cantonese Reading Playground have been funded £5,000 to deliver an Easter Cantonese Drama Camp for BN(O) children in Greater Manchester. The programme will work with young children and feature interactive story telling, drama workshops and a final showcase for the children’s parents and families. The project aims to preserve cultural identity within the children as well as improve Cantonese language proficiency while fostering a sense of belonging and increased confidence.
Cantonese Reading Playground 粵讀樂園 | Facebook page
Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Race & Equality Centre (CHAWREC) have been funded £5,000 to deliver a series of immigration seminars to BN(O) visa holders in Cheshire. Having delivered a one off workshop previously that saw huge interest from the community, CHAWREC will deliver 3 more sessions to support local BN(O)s as they continue their journey toward settled status and citizenship.
Cheshire Halton & Warrington Race & Equality Centre website
esea contemporary have ben funded £5,000 to deliver a series of art workshops to children and families at their gallery in Manchester. The workshops will cover topics and mediums including clay making, family art, mindfulness and a cultural performance. Esea contemporary will also deliver a grant writing workshop for BN(O) creatives looking for support in finding and securing funding.
Central Church Warrington have been funded £3,320 to deliver English language classes in Warrington focused on B1 examinations supporting BN(O) visa holders with ILR applications. They are also delivering a series of tea and coffee conversation mornings aimed at older BN(O) visa holders’ resident in the area to support their integration and language skills.
Central Church Warrington website
Hong Kong Well have been funded £5,000 to deliver a number sessions aimed at supporting the mental health and wellbeing of BN(O) children and families in Warrington and Greater Manchester. This will include delivering focus groups to young people and parents to understand the issues they are facing facilitated by a counselling practitioner. Another area of work will see them deliver a number of seminars to young people and parents on post-16 education pathways, and Young Peoples Wellbeing.
Manchester Communities CIC have been funded £5,000 to deliver a series of workshops, classes, trips and seminars targeted at older BN(O)s on topics including; nutrition and food preparation in a new country with nutrition talks and cooking demonstrations, physical activity and mindfulness with weekly exercise classes, and social connections and community building bringing in guest speakers to discuss topics including health as well as outings to local landmarks.
Manchester Communities CIC website
Migrant Support have been funded £5,000 to deliver a 16-week programme of support to BN(O) visa holders in Greater Manchester. The programme will cover British culture, language, history and communities with a view to supporting service users with their Life in the UK tests. The programme will also improve the wellbeing of attendees through sessions such as gardening, mindfulness, conversation clubs, and outings.
Migrant Support Charity website
The Alliance Manchester (TAM) has been funded £5,000 to deliver project that brings BN(O) visa holders together over coffee, and will screen films on topics of migration as a way of allowing BN(O) visa holders to share their stories. TAM will also deliver workshops incorporating coffee into creative activities with support of a trained counsellor in Manchester.
Trafford Hongkongers CIC have been funded £5,000 to deliver a mental wellbeing programme for adult Hongkongers in Trafford. Working with local and national partners Trafford Hongkongers will deliver 16 weekly sessions focused on the link between physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Trafford Hongkongers CIC website
Wirral Multicultural Organisation have been funded £4,950 to deliver a range of activities to BN(O) visa holders in Wirral, Merseyside. their project includes weekly social gatherings for BN(O) visa holders, a digital inclusion support project, health checks and health MOTs, and a number of cultural celebrations. All of this aimed to support BN(O) visa holders in the Wirral area to engage with other migrant communities.
Wirral Multicultural Organisation website
The RSMP is thrilled to support these brilliant local organisations with their work. If you have any questions or would like to take part in their sessions please contact the Welcome Hub on HongKong@manchester.gov.uk or contact the organisation directly.