Cafe Laziz is a St Helens based project that supports sanctuary seekers by providing a safe space for people from different backgrounds to connect. We offer ESOL lessons, shared cooking and meals and support for individuals whilst they go through the system. By hosting a weekly community cafe on Thursdays, market stalls and community events, we use food to break down barriers between the local community and asylum seekers and refugees, fostering understanding and connection. Additionally we train volunteers in food hygiene, language skills and customer service, preparing them for work and helping them to build skills for their future. Through these efforts, Cafe Laziz creates a welcoming, supportive family for those fleeing persecution and hardship.
For ESOL, we run five week introductory courses on Tuesdays 10-1pm at Chain Lane. We only do five weeks as we are trying to reach as many people as possible and specifically those who have not been here long enough to be entitled to accredited ESOL at St Helens College or Adult Community Learning. These classes are for pre-entry to entry 2 level.
We run the cafe on Thursdays which is open to the public between 12-2pm but we are there from 10am for sanctuary seekers looking for friendship – we have tea and coffee and games.
Hong Kong in Chester(HKiC) is a constituted non-profit organisation in the UK founded in 2022 by a few passionate Hongkongers who have just moved to Chester from Hong Kong.
Together with the growing number of Hong Kong families in Chester, we want to be a part of the community and make Chester a better place to live by collective effort from our group and the residents here.
Our Warm Welcome provides general support. The drop in operates every Monday from 10:30am until 1pm at Parish Church Hall in Church Square in St Helens.
Alsager Community Support provides a range of support including housing, employment, legal services and women’s services
Pendle New Neighbours is here to help asylum seekers and refugees new to the area as well as to settled families and individuals. Some of us speak additional languages as well as English. We offer support with:
-Arranging English conversation and/ or ESOL lessons
-Getting your children into school
-Finding a doctor and dentist
-Discussing any problems you may have with your accommodation
-Issues with the Job Centre
-Meeting other people
Our ESOL classes are in Nelson Library and if you are interested or you need any help with your finding out your English level, you can take a test either in the PNN office or in the library.
Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Race & Equality Centre (CHAWREC) runs a variety of services for BAME communities including asylum seekers, refugees and migrant communities.
We provide ESOL classes from pre entry through to Level 2.
- At the Unity Centre in Chester on Mondays, there are advanced and beginner classes at 13pm – 14:30pm and on Fridays at 10am – 11:30am.
- At the Old School House in Northwich (CW9 7NS) there are intermediate classes on Fridays at 9:30am – 11:30am.
- In the WorkZone in Ellesmere Port (CH65 0BA), there are pre-entry classes on Fridays at 13pm – 16pm.
- There are also pre-entry classes at The Maybury Centre in Crewe (CW13HE) on Tuesdays at 13pm – 14:30pm.
- Accredited courses are also offered here, please come to a drop in and you can be enrolled.