An Islington charity supporting refugees and migrants in London has received a cash boost for language classes to help with integration in the community.

The City of London Corporation’s charitable funder, City Bridge Trust, has given the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants a £50,400 grant towards English language courses for its most vulnerable and desperate users.

The centre gives refugees and migrants with no knowledge of English an opportunity to integrate into communities.

The grant will support the refugee and asylum seeking community in London through English classes and mentoring support for physical and psychological issues. The charity offers a programme that includes classroom sessions as well as learning through song writing and choirs.

The project will benefit 70 people each year.

Alison Gowman, Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s City Bridge Trust committee, said:

“These classes provide life changing support to the capital’s refugees and migrant. This allows them to take their first step into becoming more integrated into London life and transforming their future prospects.

“This charity has an excellent track record of delivering quality language courses, working with those most in need and this grant will enable more people in similar desperate situations to get this vital support.

“City Bridge Trust is committed to tackling disadvantage across the capital and making London a fairer and better place to live”

Andy Ruiz Palma, CEO at Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants, added:

“This funding will enable us to provide crucial English language classes and support to some of the most vulnerable asylum seekers in London, helping them to take the first steps to becoming fully integrated in our wonderful, diverse city.

“Our services are vitally important to destitute asylum seekers and refugees, who are marginalised and isolated. When they are unable to communicate in English, they are cut off from the wider community, and are unable to move towards independence and integration.

“We rely entirely on grants and donations, and would not be able to assist our clients without the support of our funders, such as the City Bridge Trust.”

City Bridge Trust is London’s biggest independent grant giver, making grants of £20 million a year to tackle disadvantage across the capital. The Trust has awarded around 7,700 grants totalling over £370 million since it first began in 1995. It helps achieve the Corporation’s aim of changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of Londoners

ENDS

Media Enquiries

Kristina Drake

Media Officer, City of London Corporation

Kristina.Drake@cityoflondon.gov.uk

07710860884 / 020 7332 1125