Last Friday, we were delighted to welcome Victoria Rajaratnam from Essex Libraries as our special guest speaker. 📚 Victoria shared lots of valuable information about the fantastic services available through Essex Libraries, helping our members discover new opportunities for learning, reading, and community support. We were especially pleased that everyone who wished to join was able to register for library services on the spot and receive their library card straight away! 🎉

Refugee Week continues with more meaningful activities, and we are delighted to share our recent visit to Southend Libraries .A huge thank you to Southend Forum Library for welcoming us and supporting our visit during #RefugeeWeek. It was a fantastic opportunity for our members to explore the valuable resources, services, and opportunities available at the library. This visit played an important role in helping build confidence, independence, and stronger connections within t

This week, we’d like to say thank you to some more of our amazing volunteers. Thank you, Amal Amal supports our ESOL classes and helps our learners during lessons. She also provides Ukrainian translation support and helps our members when needed. Thank you, Jay Jay provides one-to-one IT support to our members, helping them use computers, phones, and digital services. He is also always happy to help around the office and at events whenever support is needed. Thank you, Car

What a fantastic start to the week for Welcome to the UK as we celebrate Volunteers’ Week Today, we were honoured to welcome the High Sheriff of Essex for a special visit to our organisation. The occasion was made even more special as two of our amazing volunteers received awards from the High Sheriff in recognition of their dedication and service. A huge congratulations to Anju, who has been volunteering with us for over five years as a volunteer and Assistant Teacher, and t

A huge thank you to The Tudwick Foundation for supporting Welcome to the UK with a £1,000 grant towards our Basildon Conversation Club. Your generous support means so much to us and to the community we serve. Thanks to your contribution, we can continue creating welcoming spaces where people can build confidence, improve their English, and connect with others in the community. Thank you for believing in our work and helping us continue making a positive difference. #ThankYo

At Welcome to the UK, we continue to develop our knowledge and practice to better recognise, respond to, and take appropriate action regarding harm, abuse, exploitation, and neglect. We have recently completed two highly valuable training sessions: Domestic Abuse Awareness Training Delivered by Safe Steps , this session strengthened our understanding of how to support individuals experiencing domestic abuse, recognise warning signs, respond appropriately in crisis situation

We are incredibly proud of our wonderful Welcome to the UK member, Yaroslava Last Friday , we had the pleasure of collaborating with Southend Libraries to host a very special event celebrating Yaroslava’s second Ukrainian children’s book. Yaroslava, a retired cardiologist who came to the UK from Ukraine after the war began, continues to inspire us all with her creativity, resilience, and passion for storytelling. It was truly meaningful to support her in sharing her work wit

Join us for a special community celebration recognising the achievements, strength and contributions of women in our society. 📅 Friday 6th March 2026 📍 Victoria Shopping Centre, First Floor, SS2 5SP 🎟 FREE Event, 👉 Register now: www.welcome2theuk.com/iwd This year’s theme, Give to Gain, celebrates the power of sharing knowledge, support and experiences within our community. The day is designed to bring people together to connect, learn and inspire one another. ✨ What to e

He has been a huge help to our team and has done an amazing job during his time with us. We are really proud of him and very grateful for all his support. Well done, Troy! ⭐️ At Welcome To The UK, we regularly work with local schools to support students through work experience placements. We do our best to make sure every young person feels welcomed, supported and confident as they begin their work journey, and we’re always happy to be part of that first step. A big thank yo

We are thrilled to share that we received a wonderful letter of thanks from @mayor_of_southend following his visit to our office. His kind words highlighted the dedication of our team and the positive impact of our work supporting local families, newcomers, and students. We are truly grateful for his recognition and for taking the time to learn about our services. Visits and messages like this inspire us to keep making a difference in our community every day. #WelcomeToTheUK

The visit gave us a valuable opportunity to share our story, talk about the challenges within our community, and highlight the positive impact of our work. The Mayor toured our Ukrainian Drop-in session, supported by Southend-on-Sea City Council, and learned more about the support we provide to local families and individuals. The Mayor also visited our ESOL class, meeting students and gaining insight into their learning journey ,a moment that truly encouraged and inspired eve

It was a wonderful opportunity to share our story, discuss the challenges our community faces, and highlight the positive impact of our work. 🙌 During her visit, the High Sheriff toured our Ukrainian Drop-in session, supported by Southend-on-Sea City Council, and learned more about the initiatives helping local families and individuals. 💙 She also presented awards to two of our amazing volunteers in recognition of their dedication and outstanding contribution,a truly specia

Our Friendship Group welcomed the Southend Neighbourhood Policing Team from Essex Police. They shared very useful information on: •...

We welcomed Everyone Health for free health checks ,a valuable opportunity for our community to focus on wellbeing and healthy living ....

It was a wonderful opportunity to share our story, the challenges our community faces, and the goals we are working towards. He also...

If you’ve recently moved to Southend, changed your address, or need a new school for your child, Southend City Council is offering a FREE...

Behind every welcome, every translated form, every smile at a drop-in session are people who quietly keep our work moving forward. Today,...

Take a break, relax, and recharge with us every Tuesday from 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM at our Southend Hub. Enjoy a peaceful session filled...

📍 Southend & Grays offices will be on holiday from 7th to 21st April. 📅 During this time, no ESOL classes or group activities will take...

We are working hard to support our Ukrainian families in Basildon, thanks to the @essex_cf Essex Community Foundation Fund. This week,...