“It was the first time we ever saw something like this.”

Amira, Rashed and their three daughters arrived in Northern Ireland in September 2019, where they were welcomed by the Small World Community Sponsorship group. With Christmas just a couple of weeks away we thought we would talk to Amira about her first Christmas in the UK. She shares her surprise at her daughters’ star turns and why she thinks getting involved in each other’s festivities is so important.

“I know the importance of having a community – not just one person – but a community who is prepared to make that transition easier for you.”

Sofia Gamio is a junior doctor working at the James Cook hospital in Middlesbrough. In the little spare time she has, Sofia is preparing to welcome refugee families to Newcastle with her Community Sponsorship group, Tyneside Welcomes. Ahead of International Migrants Day, we chatted to Sofia about where her motivation for supporting refugees comes from, and how she got involved in Community Sponsorship.

Explore Reset’s impact as we have supported the Community Sponsorship movement across the UK— training, mobilising, and supporting community groups to open their doors to those who need it most.

Reset’s values not only define who we are as an organisation, but how we show up for the communities we serve.

Reset’s Theory of Change sets out what needs to happen for community-led welcome to succeed and the role Reset plays in making that happen.

Research, monitoring and evaluation are essential for making evidence-based decisions that will support Community Sponsorship to grow and flourish.

Find out how Community Sponsorship helps refugee families in need build a new life in the UK with confidence and dignity.

Understanding migration is essential for anyone getting involved in Community Sponsorship. Build your foundational knowledge of migration here.

Read all news and insight from our initiatives

See coverage of Reset UK in the press and media

Make an extraordinary difference to the lives of people who have lost everything by signing up to our (free) Landlords for Refugees register.

Not everyone can donate their time, so if you are choosing to donate money today instead or as well as, thank you. Your generosity is vital to the work we do support community-led welcome of refugees.

Help others by sharing your account.  Why were you attracted to community-led welcome?  What worked, what did you learn, what has the experience been like for you?