Urban House is an Initial Accommodation Centre in Wakefield. When someone arrives in the UK and claims asylum, if they have nowhere to live, they are sent to one of the Initial Accommodation Centres across the country. They stay there for up to a month and then are dispersed to accommodation across that region (those in Wakefield are dispersed across Yorkshire, Humberside and the North East).
Lots of people who arrive at Urban House have nothing with them except the clothes on their back. Wakefield City of Sanctuary works tirelessly to provide the following to those that need them:
1. An Emergency Pack – This is a basic change of clothes.The packs consists of new underwear, a t-shirt and jogging pants, and where possible a new warm top.Emergency Packs are offered to men, women and children who arrive at Urban House with little or no clothing.
2. A Change of Clothes Pack – This pack consists off new underwear, socks and washed second-hand shirt, trousers, and a warm jumper.
3. Support Clothing – This is the offer of items such as coats, jackets, hats, gloves etc. and shoes if available. All support clothing is clean second-hand clothing – Sanctuary Knitters provide many of the hats and gloves. We also welcome knitted dollies and teddies.
*Items needed*
- Clothes, particularly men’s t shirts, jogging pants and warm tops
- New underwear, particularly men’s and new socks
- Coats, jackets, hats, gloves and shoes
- Women’s and children’s clothing also needed as there are families at the centre but most of the residents are men
Please do not deliver donations straight to Urban House.
Wakefield City of Sanctuary has a clothing store in Wakefield which is open Mondays, Wednesdays 12.30pm – 2.30pm and Friday from 10.30am – 2.30pm. Please contact [email protected] or Linda on [email protected] or ring 07800605397 for the address of the store and to arrange to drop off a donation. Volunteers are also needed to help sort clothes.
Activities in Wakefield
Urban House Women’s Group: Mon 1:30-4:30. Crafts and conversation
Urban House (please contact [email protected] for more info)
Conversation Café’: Monday 10am – 12noon: Practice English Conversation, reading and writing
St Johns Church, Wentworth Street, WF1 2QU
Asylum-seekers and Refugees Signposting Drop-in: Wednesday 10am – 12pm. Help with form filling – legal issues crafts and social activities.
Quaker Meeting House, Thornhill Street, WF1 1NQ
Sanctuary Garden: Thursday 10.00am – 1pm or by arrangement, new people welcome
Allotments, Sparable Lane, WF1 5LJ
St. Michael’s Drop-in and Welcome Café: Thursday 1pm – 3pm. International Board Games, Crafts and social welcome for local people and newly arrived asylum seekers.
St Michael’s Church, Westgate Common, Wakefield, WF2 9RW
Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering for any of the above activities