Community Project for Asylum Seekers and Refugees Receives Charitable Status: Striving for Greater Heights

“Refugees Rock” Granted Charitable Standing to Assist Integration and Wellbeing for Asylum Seekers in UK

London, UK – Tuesday 11 March, 2025 – “Refugees Rock,” a pioneering initiative that makes use of climbing to help integration and wellbeing for asylum seekers and refugees within the UK, has been granted charitable standing. Since its launch in 2021, the challenge has expanded from a single location at The Climbing Hangar in Liverpool to 10 UK cities, serving to over 500 members construct bodily, psychological, and social wellbeing by means of climbing.

The challenge, a collaboration between Motion Asylum challenge, the British Pink Cross, and The Climbing Hangar, started by providing free month-to-month climbing periods for asylum seekers and refugees who face extreme restrictions on work and earnings. These periods create a welcoming and inclusive area at climbing partitions throughout the UK, supported by over 100 “Boulder Buddy” volunteers from the native climbing group.

The achievement of charitable standing in January 2025 marks a major milestone for Refugees Rock, permitting them to lift public consciousness and entry philanthropic funding and tax aid to broaden their important work. To have fun this milestone, The Climbing Hangar has grow to be Refugees Rock’s first company donor, contributing £10,000 to help the charity’s growth plans.

Co-Founder and Trustee of Refugees Rock, Emma Leaper, explains the significance of this achievement: “Asylum seekers within the UK are given an allowance of solely £7 per day and are usually not permitted to work. It’s extremely difficult to take care of bodily and social wellbeing below these circumstances. Refugees Rock offers a heat and welcoming surroundings, shared experiences, and a chance for brand spanking new connections and bodily exercise, offering much-needed aid from the stress and isolation confronted by our members. Our new charitable standing provides us a platform for development to extend our influence and engagement.”

Fadi Bobo, a participant from Lebanon, speaks to the distinctive advantages of climbing: “I like this type of sport as a result of there is no such thing as a winner or loser, everybody wins collectively, and all of us attain the highest. We assist one another. I really like the climbing group as a result of everyone seems to be glad and pleasant.”

The challenge has already demonstrated vital influence by means of its partnership mannequin, working with native climbing amenities and refugee help organizations throughout the nation. Ged MacDomhnaill, CEO of The Climbing Hangar, the place the challenge first launched, highlights the distinctive advantages of climbing as an integration instrument: “Climbing offers a novel surroundings the place folks of all ages, talents, and expertise ranges can take part collectively. It transcends language and cultural boundaries and presents alternatives for collaboration and celebration, whereas additionally offering psychological and bodily advantages. Refugees Rock has been instrumental in serving to us construct a extra various and inclusive climbing tradition, and the teams deliver an immense quantity of laughter and goodwill to our climbing gyms.”

For extra details about how one can become involved with Refugees Rock or donate to the challenge, please go to https://refugeesrock.org or contact Vivien Underwood at good day@refugeesrock.org.

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