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Humanity Hotel

An ongoing project supporting the wellbeing of asylum seekers housed in initial accommodation centres across North Somerset.

Humanity Hotel is an ongoing project created to support the wellbeing of asylum seekers housed in initial accommodation centres across North Somerset.

A period of informal assistance and advocacy has led to this responsive, collaborative initiative, created alongside the 250+ asylum seekers it is intended to support.

This is an evolving project, responsive to urgency and need. For this reason its point of focus may look different at different moments.

We want our region to be an example of creative, adaptive community building between displaced people and those who are here to meet them. Along the way, we’ve built incredible collaborative relationships with local organisations who have a similar goal in mind including Loves Café, Bridges for Communities and Counterpoints Arts.

We hope to extend this network further; if you’re an individual or organisation who’d like to offer support, or works in this space already, please get in touch. We can welcome and make change together.

Support Humanity Hotel

Creative Programme

This project currently involves ongoing initiatives and regular cultural and creative programming.

We are working in collaboration with local artists, musicians, arts venues and community organisations to deliver regular creative, educational and participatory workshops for this community.

See below for details on what we are currently doing, and ways you can offer support.

FEASTING

Feasting invites asylum seekers, refugees, and local residents to come together and share food.

We have joined forces with many different organisations, including Loves Cafe, Houria, Dovetail Orchestra, Community Farm, Counterpoint Arts and Valley Arts.

Weekly Workshops

We offer a year-round programme of creative workshops for local asylum seekers and refugees, from painting, clay, and fibre arts, to music sessions.

Give your support

If you are a Bristol-based practitioner in the arts, education, wellness or fitness and would like to participate in our creative programme, please get in touch! We’d love to hear from you.

Project Background

In May 2022, two hotels in our area closed their doors to the public to accommodate over 250 asylum seekers forced to leave their homes and families, and now displaced in the UK.

The hotels are rurally located, meaning the residents rely solely on agents in Bristol to support their wellbeing needs, from legal advice to English lessons.

On their arrival, Trigger mobilised to offer support. Pulling together a network of local people, we were able to help with donations of basic items such as clothes, shoes, deodorant, hair clippers and phones; we’ve facilitated car shares hosted by locals who commute into Bristol, signposted legal advice, arranged volunteer opportunities and brokered relationships with the local football club for regular games.

As our support has increased, the structure around it has become more formalised: we now have a framework in place to provide responsive help when and where it’s needed.

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