The North West Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Hub, part of the North West RSMP, is thrilled to announce the recipients of the Hong Kong BN(O) VCSE Community Grants.
The Community Grants Scheme saw applications for up to £5,000 of grant funding to Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise organisations to support BN(O) visa holders in the North West as they continue their settlement journey in the region.
We are now very happy to announce the following 11 organisations have been funded to support BN(O) visa holders across the region throughout the summer.
| Organisation Name & Location | Details of project | Website/Social Media |
|---|---|---|
| CHAWREC – Cheshire | Funding will see the organisation continue employing two Hong Kong Project Officers who will provide a 1-1 advice service to Hong Kong BN(O) communities. It will also see the organisation continue with their popular Conversational English Clubs in Warrington and Crewe as well as allowing them to run more ‘Life in the UK’ sessions. | chawrec.org.uk |
| Lancashire Hongkongers – Blackpool | The funding will support social get-together events for Hongkongers in Blackpool including meal gatherings, cooking workshops, handicraft workshops or volunteering sessions. | |
| esea contemporary – Greater Manchester | esea contemporary is pleased to present a family-oriented programme dedicated to the Hong Kong BN(O) communities residing in Manchester. Entering its third year of activation, a series of creative workshops will facilitate the exploration and expression through the mediums of art and cultural dialogue. | eseacontemporary.org |
| Hong Kong Fellowship – Greater Manchester | The project will deliver 12 activities especially for 50 or over Hongkongers living in Greater Manchester. Activities including arts, crafts and wellbeing workshops, information talks, trips to cultural heritage and a mini concert at the end of the project from May to August. Booking via https://hkers.org/hkfellowship | stockportcircuit.org.uk |
| Migrant Support – Greater Manchester | Settled Well Project (SWP) The SWP is a comprehensive 12-week program, offering a personalised and holistic provision to support and empower new arrivals from Hong Kong BN(O). It aims to directly contribute to enabling BN(O) status holders and their dependents to be an integral part of and positively contribute to British society, understanding their rights and entitlements. | migrantsupport.org.uk |
| Central Church – Warrington | Central Church will deliver programmes aimed at supporting older Hongkongers as they settle into life in the UK, including games, exercise and conversation clubs. Central Church will also deliver a series of conversation clubs to the wider BN(O) community with a focus on B1 examinations. | centralchurchwarrington.co.uk |
| Wirral Change – Liverpool City Region | Wirral Change’s goal with their project is to support Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders in achieving holistic societal integration through multiple specialised advisory services. These services include socialisation, navigating local systems and services, entering employment, financial advice, understanding immigration entitlements, and promoting health and well-being. | wirralchange.org.uk |
| Wirral Chinese Association – Liverpool City Region | WCA aims to Facilitate integration of Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders into the North West community through activities such as: Flower arrangement workshopsFishing eventsDriving introductionsHeritage walks. | wirralchinese.org.uk |
| 4Wings – Liveprool City Region | 4Wings Language Lounge: Mastering English for Integration one chat at a time 4Wings will deliver a language and integration programme supporting BN(O) visa holders to develop their speaking and listening skills and to gain the confidence to fully immerse themselves in UK life. Topics will cover everything from interviews and driving tests to small talk and banter. | 4wings.co.uk |
| Hong Kong Cultural Community – Greater Manchester | Based in Greater Manchester, Hong Kong Cultural Community C.I.C. is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting Hong Kong culture and Hongkongers’ integration into the UK. Our project encompasses three areas: 1) Integration through community art at Parsonage Gardens, such as through creating birdhouses and flower patterns 2) Volunteer Award and Leadership Scheme 3) Language exchange programme | https://linktr.ee/hkculturalcommunity |
| Trafford Hongkongers – Greater Manchester | The project, named “Integration into Greater Manchester 2024,” has the following objectives: Support BN(O) visa Hongkongers in Greater Manchester to integrate into communities. Boost Hongkongers’ English proficiency, physical and social wellbeing, and opportunities for cultural sharing in the community. Three series of events will be organised: A series of community walking tours in the Trafford areas. Two series of English Clubs, one in-person in Trafford and one online. Two rice dumpling workshops in Trafford, celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival around the time of 10th June 2024. | traffordhongkongers.co.uk |