About us
We support forcibly displaced people in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge and surrounding area
Every day, millions of people are forced to leave their homes due to conflict, persecution, or natural disasters. These individuals face unimaginable hardships - loss of home, separation from loved ones, and uncertainty about the future.
Founded in 2016, at the height of the Syrian refugee crisis, Elmbridge CAN exists to welcome and support forcibly displaced people who have found their way to the borough of Elmbridge. Our charity is committed to providing such people with practical help, dignity and hope as they rebuild their lives here, based on our common humanity.
However, we recognise that this can't happen without a collaborative, cross-community effort. We facilitate this within the Borough of Elmbridge - bringing together volunteers, businesses, community groups, schools, other charities and the local authority.
We are proud to stand in solidarity with forcibly displaced people and believe that collectively, the residents and neighbours of Elmbridge CAN make a difference.
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Our aims
1. Improving lives in Elmbridge
We provide small grants and a range of services which foster social inclusion and wellbeing for forcibly displaced people in the borough of Elmbridge and surrounding area.
2. Raising awareness
Through our community outreach activity, we advance the education of the public in general about the issues relating to forcibly displaced people.
Read more in our Constitution.
Our support roadmap
In all cases we are guided by our “support roadmap”, which illustrates the process from arrival to becoming a fully contributing, thriving member of the community.
I am deeply grateful for every gesture: for taking the time to talk to me, for the clothes, for the support to continue my studies... All of this has been invaluable to me and has had a tremendous impact on my life. Thanks to you, I've been able to stay calm and move forward, even within the constraints of the asylum process, which often makes me feel limited.
CM
