Welcome Group Halesowen
Charity 1168507
www.welcomegrouphalesowen.org.uk
Overview
Summary
Welcome Group Halesowen appears to be a small, place-rooted support organisation whose central role is to make settlement less isolating and less precarious for asylum seekers and refugees. Its model combines a regular, relationship-based local drop-in with practical material support, advice and wider-area outreach. Rather than specialising in a single need, it seems to act as an accessible first point of contact: helping people meet immediate needs while connecting them to information, services and community.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Northfield
Confidence: medium
Direct evidence: the organisation states that it can accept new people living in Northfield for its drop-in and support service. The evidence identifies the locality, rather than establishing activity throughout every part of the ward.
- Welcome Group Halesowen website, 'What We Do'
The organisation describes itself as a support group for asylum seekers and refugees from Dudley and West Birmingham, and lists Northfield among the areas in which it can help new people. - Welcome Group Halesowen website, 'New to Welcome Group?'
The current visitor information repeats that new people living in Northfield can access the service.
Quinton
Confidence: medium
Direct evidence: Quinton is expressly included in the current intake catchment. The evidence identifies the locality, rather than establishing activity throughout the ward.
- Welcome Group Halesowen website, 'What We Do'
Quinton is listed among the areas where the organisation can help new people. - Welcome Group Halesowen website, 'New to Welcome Group?'
The organisation's current guidance for prospective visitors includes Quinton in its eligible-area list.
Rubery and Rednal
Confidence: medium
Direct evidence: Rubery is included in the current intake catchment. The evidence identifies the locality, rather than establishing activity throughout the ward.
- Welcome Group Halesowen website, 'What We Do'
Rubery is listed among the areas where the organisation can help new people. - Welcome Group Halesowen website, 'New to Welcome Group?'
The organisation's current guidance for prospective visitors includes Rubery in its eligible-area list.
Remaining uncertainties
- The organisation's principal weekly drop-in is described as being in Halesowen town centre, outside Birmingham. Its public website does not disclose the meeting venue, so no physical Birmingham service site can be evidenced.
- The Charity Commission records service delivery across Dudley, Sandwell and the west of Birmingham, while the website gives a more specific current intake catchment of Northfield, Quinton and Rubery. It is unclear whether support continues for existing beneficiaries elsewhere in west Birmingham.
- The evidence supports service reach into three Birmingham localities, not delivery of services from sites within those wards.
- No material partnership has been evidenced as extending the organisation's operational reach into Birmingham. Churches Together in Halesowen is identified as part of the organisation's founding history, but the available evidence does not establish a current delivery partnership.
Additional evidence needed
- A current service or delivery log showing Birmingham areas served, including whether support is provided through drop-in attendance, remote contact, home deliveries or partner referrals.
- Confirmation from the organisation of its current Birmingham catchment and whether Northfield, Quinton and Rubery are the complete active intake area.
- A current list of delivery partners, referral partners and any venues used in Birmingham, if such information can be shared without creating safeguarding or privacy risks.
Areas of work
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Other Defined Groups
- People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
- People With Disabilities
How they help
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A trust-based gateway rather than a single-service provider
The available evidence suggests the weekly drop-in is the organisation's core infrastructure for building trust, identifying varied needs and connecting people to further help. Friendship, empathy and mutual support appear to sit alongside advice and material assistance, rather than being incidental additions.
Why it matters
This helps explain its likely value within the local support system: it may reach people whose needs do not fit neatly into one service category, and make formal support more accessible through repeated personal contact.
Show evidence
“The charity provides a safe weekly drop-in, telephone support and deliveries.”
Source:Organisation“Support includes friendship, refreshments, empathy, mutual support, guidance and signposting.”
Source:Organisation
Its geographic role extends beyond Halesowen
Although named for Halesowen and rooted there through its drop-in, the organisation appears to serve a wider corridor across Dudley, Sandwell and west Birmingham. This may indicate that support for asylum seekers and refugees is organised across local-authority boundaries, or that comparable provision is not easily available nearer to all beneficiaries.
Why it matters
Its role should not be understood solely as neighbourhood-based. A wider catchment may create both regional connective value and pressures on a service anchored in one local setting.
Show evidence
“The charity provides telephone support and deliveries to people across Dudley, Sandwell and the west of Birmingham.”
Source:Organisation“The charity's objects refer to people residing in Halesowen and the surrounding areas.”
Source:Charity Commission
It addresses exclusion through both immediate relief and social participation
The organisation appears to treat poverty, information barriers and social isolation as connected problems. Its charitable purpose combines practical support with social and recreational activity involving the local community, suggesting that belonging is viewed as part of relief rather than a separate outcome.
Why it matters
This distinguishes the organisation from a purely emergency-aid provider. It may hold useful experience in linking material assistance with community inclusion for people navigating displacement and uncertainty.
Show evidence
“The charity promotes social inclusion through social and recreational facilities and events involving the local community.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity seeks to alleviate social isolation and financial exclusion.”
Source:Organisation
- It is unclear how many people use the service, how regularly they return, and which parts of the catchment are most reliant on it.
- There is no evidence about referral relationships, local-community participation, staffing or volunteer capacity.
- The available website information includes event dates that cannot establish the current timetable or service continuity.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports or impact data showing beneficiary numbers, needs, outcomes and changes over time.
- Evidence of referral routes, partnerships and unmet needs across Dudley, Sandwell and west Birmingham.
- Information on staffing, volunteers, funding and the practical capacity of the weekly drop-in, phone support and delivery service.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
We seek to alleviate social isolation and financial exclusion of vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees, providing a safe weekly drop-in, telephone support and deliveries to people across Dudley, Sandwell and the west of Birmingham. Offering friendship, refreshments, empathy, mutual support, guidance, signposting, financial help, foodbank access, clothes, baby supplies and household goods.
Charity objects
1. THE PROMOTION OF SOCIAL INCLUSION FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT AMONG PEOPLE WHO ARE REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS LIVING WITH THEM, RESIDING (TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY) IN HALESOWEN AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS, WHO ARE SOCIALLY EXCLUDED ON THE GROUNDS OF THEIR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC POSITION, BY PROVIDING SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AND EVENTS INVOLVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. 2. THE RELIEF OF POVERTY, THE PROMOTION OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION OF ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS LIVING WITH THEM IN HALESOWEN AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION, GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT.