Community
Community Sponsorship 
Sponsorship is a unique opportunity for communities to welcome and resettle refugee families, putting local parish communities at the heart of a family’s journey to a new life, and helping them to rebuild their lives.
Being supported by the volunteer group is wonderful.
At first when we arrived we knew nothing about the situation here but from the beginning the group were more than wonderful, they were friends in every sense of the word. We didn’t find any difficulty, they support us in every aspect of our life here. We are all so grateful to them.
- Father of one of the sponsored families
Catholic Care has been involved with Community Sponsorship for over four years as a lead sponsor.
In 2022, in recognition of their experience and success, the Home Office, who run the scheme, granted Catholic Care Principal Sponsor status.
Community Sponsorship is a successful scheme allowing refugees to enter the UK. A group of volunteers, whether based in a parish or wider community, gather together to develop a plan to support a refugee family. The plan covers all elements of life – finding accommodation, registering with the local health services and schools, exploring the benefits systems and local employment opportunities and some fundraising.
Throughout all this, the group is supported by the Catholic Care Community Sponsorship Coordinator. Once the plan is complete, Home Office approval and agreement is sought, and a family, usually identified by UNHCR, is matched with the sponsorship group.
For more information contact Sue Parsons, the Community Sponsorship Coordinator – sue.parsons@catholic-care.org.uk