A Weston-super-Mare-based charity is helping to bring communities together across North Somerset thanks to grant funding from Alliance Homes.
Refugees Welcome North Somerset (RWNS) received £3,580 in grant funding through Alliance Homes’ Communities Together Grants in 2025, supporting its work with refugees in North Somerset.
The charity provides a range of support, including running Welcome Centres for resettled and newly arrived refugees, as well as education opportunities and befriending services to help people integrate into the community.
The grant funding has helped RWNS deliver its English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) learning programmes across North Somerset. ESOL supports people whose first language is not English, helping them build confidence in speaking, reading and understanding the language.
With the funding, RWNS has been able to continue its ESOL programme and fund trained teachers, including Zeina Banks.
Zeina said:
“Learning English is about so much more than the language. It enables people to feel confident and connected. These sessions are open to people of all abilities and help to make people feel connected to their new home.”
The ESOL programme run by RWNS also relies on volunteers. Elle, one of the volunteers, adds:
“It’s great to support these amazing women during the sessions, sharing our culture and learning about theirs.”
Donna King, Chief Executive Officer at RWNS, highlighted the impact of the funding:
“The grant funding has helped us deliver real change to the people we support. It’s enabled us to deliver our ESOL programme, helping our customers connect and learn more about our communities.
“North Somerset is a wonderful place and the generosity of grants like this, our amazing volunteers and teachers in helping us support people has been incredible.”
For those attending the sessions, the benefits are changing their everyday lives. One customer who takes part in the ESOL programme, said:
“I want to be able to speak and read English. To know how my son is doing in school and say hello to my neighbours. It’s helped me a lot.”
Alliance Homes’ Communities Together Grants for 2026 are now open. Applications close 22 February 2026. To find out more, visit www.alliancehomes.org.uk/grants