Get involved

How can you help:

Here’s how you can support SWVG’s work with asylum seekers.

If you’d like to get our quarterly newsletter,  give us your name at the bottom of this page.

Make a donation

Donations from people like you are absolutely essential to help fund important work. We need your help to pay the cost of high-quality timely legal advice, and for one-off payments to asylum seekers. They may need help with the cost of a bus pass to get to English classes, wifi to keep in touch with family in their country of origin, and even fares to Liverpool to hand in paperwork to support their asylum claim (the Government refuses to accept papers by post or even delivered by anyone other than the applicant).

You can donate in lots of different ways – by attending one of our paid-for events, sponsoring a friend for a fund-raising activity, or simply by making a donation.

Any amount you can give, small or large, will be used effectively and makes a big difference.

Download the Standing Order / Gift Aid form here. This form can be used by all donors. Fill it in, and send it by email to Treasurer@swvg-refugees.org.uk or by post to the Treasurer, SWVG, PO Box 1615, Southampton, SO17 3WF. The Treasurer then makes a record, and forwards the form to your bank for processing.

If you do not pay income tax in the UK, just leave the Gift Aid section blank.

If you have set up the Standing Order with your bank using internet banking, please note that on the form or in the email.

If you are making a single donation, it’s easier to make a bank transfer using the SWVG account details given on the form.

You can also donate via Just Giving.

Become a volunteer

SWVG is a small volunteer-led charity dedicated to supporting local asylum seekers and refugees in particular difficulties or distress.

SWVG does all its work through volunteers, in a variety of roles. Some people are “visitors” who befriend and support people on a one-to-one basis in the Southampton area. Some teach English, and occasionally other skills, to help asylum seekers to be more at home in the UK. Other volunteers organise fundraising events, or activities for asylum seekers such as outings. Some campaign nationally and locally on refugee and asylum issues. Some reach out to schools, churches and other local groups to spread the word about our work, and to tell the real story of people who come here for asylum. And last, some work behind the scenes to manage our organisation, from maintaining our social media presence to keeping our accounts.

Without volunteers, we simply could not do what we do. Because they are unpaid, we keep our administration costs very low. Thanks to them, we invest over 80% of our income directly into our work with asylum seekers.

We are always happy to talk to potential new volunteers about how we can best use your skills and experience. See more:

To find out more about how you can work with us to support people who have left their homes to seek sanctuary in the UK, email info@SWVG-refugees.org.uk.

If you’d like to volunteer, here’s the SWVG Volunteer Application Form. Fill it in and send it to info@SWVG-refugees.org.uk