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About Us

We are a refugee and migrant-led, registered charity supporting families and individuals through buddying, advocacy, financial and emotional support.

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Contact Us

Donate

Contact Us

Donate

Contact Us

Team members work

Team members work

Team members work

Team member work

Team member work

Team member work

We opened our doors in 2017 to provide welcome to recent arrivals in Hastings seeking refuge and safety

Now we are a refugee and migrant-led, registered charity supporting families and individuals through buddying, advocacy, financial and emotional support for the most vulnerable in our community. Since 2017, we’ve expanded our support to Rother and Wealden, as well as Hastings. Increased support for people in the asylum system the project also works with the wider community of people seeking refuge in Hastings who are in the home office asylum dispersal scheme, in which people are still in the process of claiming asylum

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About our Founder & CEO

Rossana Leal and her family fled Chile in 1976 when she was nine years old after her father was detained by the Pinochet regime. Having been resettled by UNHCR from Argentina, she always remembers the warm welcome that the family received from the small mining village in Scotland - with a party, bagpipes and toys for the children, and the coal shed that winter remaining stocked by generous villagers. This was her inspiration years later when, moved by the plight of Syrians arriving in Europe, she set up the Refugee Buddy Project in Hastings.

Rossana’s leadership of The Refugee Buddy Project is award-winning. In 2019, she received the Woman on the Move Award, presented by Migrants Organise and UNHCR. In 2023, she was named one of Visa’s #Pioneer20, recognising refugee women across Europe creating meaningful change. In 2024 the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery also won the Best Small Museum Project Award for its partnership project with the Refugee Buddy Project, ‘Illuminating Invisible Histories: Flavours Without Borders’.

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Team member work

Team member work

Team member work

Meet our team

Meet our team

Why Choose Us

Team member

Rossana Leal

Founder & CEO

Team member

Rossana Leal

Founder & CEO

Team member

Rossana Leal

Founder & CEO

Mike Delpeach

Mike Delpeache

Head of HR & Operations

Mike Delpeach

Mike Delpeache

Head of HR & Operations

Mike Delpeach

Mike Delpeache

Head of HR & Operations

Team member

Georgia Bradshaw

Head of Programmes & Administration

Team member

Georgia Bradshaw

Head of Programmes & Administration

Team member

Georgia Bradshaw

Head of Programmes & Administration

Shaza Shelb Alsham

Volunteer Coordinator & Supervisor at Dove Cafe

Shaza Shelb Alsham

Volunteer Coordinator & Supervisor at Dove Cafe

Shaza Shelb Alsham

Volunteer Coordinator & Supervisor at Dove Cafe

Olena Lavrova

Volunteer Buddy & Project Participant Support Worker

Olena Lavrova

Volunteer Buddy & Project Participant Support Worker

Olena Lavrova

Volunteer Buddy & Project Participant Support Worker

Frances Crowley

Volunteer Buddy & Project Participant Support Worker

Frances Crowley

Volunteer Buddy & Project Participant Support Worker

Frances Crowley

Volunteer Buddy & Project Participant Support Worker

Hiba Dahman

Hiba Dahman

Case Worker

Hiba Dahman

Hiba Dahman

Case Worker

Hiba Dahman

Hiba Dahman

Case Worker

Safeguarding

The Refugee Buddy Project is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all participants, volunteers, staff, and the wider community.`

If you have a concern about someone’s safety or wellbeing, please contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead Mike Delpeache on 07940 259012.

Our Deputy Safeguarding Lead is Georgia Bradshaw on 07940 259081.

Campaigns

Refugees together smiling

Safe Havens, our local campaign

Safe Havens is our local campaign to bring small businesses and community spaces together to offer upfront, visible, real-time support to anyone facing racism, threats or harm.

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Fundraising boxes

Supporting wider campaigns

Read more about our current support for Communities Not Camps, Safe Passage, Patients Not Passports and FIRM - Forum for Immigration Reform and Migrants’ Rights.

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Two refugees with a food stall at Refugee Week

Refugee Week

Each year, we take part in Refugee Week — a UK-wide celebration of the contributions, creativity, and resilience of people seeking sanctuary. We work with local artists in the development of and arts led program to celebrate Refugee Week. We produce an inclusive public arts programme and build on the creative relationships we have developed across our community over the past few years, ensuring Refugee Week becomes an anticipated annual celebration, promoting a culture of welcome.

Read more

Campaigns

Refugees together smiling

Safe Havens, our local campaign

Safe Havens is our local campaign to bring small businesses and community spaces together to offer upfront, visible, real-time support to anyone facing racism, threats or harm.

Read more

Fundraising boxes

Supporting wider campaigns

Read more about our current support for Communities Not Camps, Safe Passage, Patients Not Passports and FIRM - Forum for Immigration Reform and Migrants’ Rights.

Read more

Two refugees with a food stall at Refugee Week

Refugee Week

Each year, we take part in Refugee Week — a UK-wide celebration of the contributions, creativity, and resilience of people seeking sanctuary. We work with local artists in the development of and arts led program to celebrate Refugee Week. We produce an inclusive public arts programme and build on the creative relationships we have developed across our community over the past few years, ensuring Refugee Week becomes an anticipated annual celebration, promoting a culture of welcome.

Read more

Campaigns

Refugees together smiling

Safe Havens, our local campaign

Safe Havens is our local campaign to bring small businesses and community spaces together to offer upfront, visible, real-time support to anyone facing racism, threats or harm.

Read more

Sorting donations

“Imagine what it would be like to have someone local who is a friendly face in a sea of strangers and who is prepared to give up a small amount of time to help you practise basic conversation and to navigate those challenges that seem simple when you know how the systems work.”
“Being a Buddy is an absolute honour, knowing that you can help those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and gradually watch them, and their child develop in confidence and independence is an experience that cannot be underestimated.”
"Imagine finding yourself friendless, just you and your child in a strange city in a strange country where you don't speak the language and where you have no idea how to communicate with your child's teacher or your landlord or even where to buy the basics you need to survive.”
“Imagine what it would be like to have someone local who is a friendly face in a sea of strangers and who is prepared to give up a small amount of time to help you practise basic conversation and to navigate those challenges that seem simple when you know how the systems work.”
“Being a Buddy is an absolute honour, knowing that you can help those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and gradually watch them, and their child develop in confidence and independence is an experience that cannot be underestimated.”
"Imagine finding yourself friendless, just you and your child in a strange city in a strange country where you don't speak the language and where you have no idea how to communicate with your child's teacher or your landlord or even where to buy the basics you need to survive.”
“Imagine what it would be like to have someone local who is a friendly face in a sea of strangers and who is prepared to give up a small amount of time to help you practise basic conversation and to navigate those challenges that seem simple when you know how the systems work.”
“Being a Buddy is an absolute honour, knowing that you can help those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and gradually watch them, and their child develop in confidence and independence is an experience that cannot be underestimated.”
"Imagine finding yourself friendless, just you and your child in a strange city in a strange country where you don't speak the language and where you have no idea how to communicate with your child's teacher or your landlord or even where to buy the basics you need to survive.”
“Imagine what it would be like to have someone local who is a friendly face in a sea of strangers and who is prepared to give up a small amount of time to help you practise basic conversation and to navigate those challenges that seem simple when you know how the systems work.”
“Being a Buddy is an absolute honour, knowing that you can help those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and gradually watch them, and their child develop in confidence and independence is an experience that cannot be underestimated.”
"Imagine finding yourself friendless, just you and your child in a strange city in a strange country where you don't speak the language and where you have no idea how to communicate with your child's teacher or your landlord or even where to buy the basics you need to survive.”

Sorting donations

“Imagine what it would be like to have someone local who is a friendly face in a sea of strangers and who is prepared to give up a small amount of time to help you practise basic conversation and to navigate those challenges that seem simple when you know how the systems work.”
“Being a Buddy is an absolute honour, knowing that you can help those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and gradually watch them, and their child develop in confidence and independence is an experience that cannot be underestimated.”
"Imagine finding yourself friendless, just you and your child in a strange city in a strange country where you don't speak the language and where you have no idea how to communicate with your child's teacher or your landlord or even where to buy the basics you need to survive.”
“Imagine what it would be like to have someone local who is a friendly face in a sea of strangers and who is prepared to give up a small amount of time to help you practise basic conversation and to navigate those challenges that seem simple when you know how the systems work.”
“Being a Buddy is an absolute honour, knowing that you can help those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and gradually watch them, and their child develop in confidence and independence is an experience that cannot be underestimated.”
"Imagine finding yourself friendless, just you and your child in a strange city in a strange country where you don't speak the language and where you have no idea how to communicate with your child's teacher or your landlord or even where to buy the basics you need to survive.”
“Imagine what it would be like to have someone local who is a friendly face in a sea of strangers and who is prepared to give up a small amount of time to help you practise basic conversation and to navigate those challenges that seem simple when you know how the systems work.”
“Being a Buddy is an absolute honour, knowing that you can help those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and gradually watch them, and their child develop in confidence and independence is an experience that cannot be underestimated.”
"Imagine finding yourself friendless, just you and your child in a strange city in a strange country where you don't speak the language and where you have no idea how to communicate with your child's teacher or your landlord or even where to buy the basics you need to survive.”
“Imagine what it would be like to have someone local who is a friendly face in a sea of strangers and who is prepared to give up a small amount of time to help you practise basic conversation and to navigate those challenges that seem simple when you know how the systems work.”
“Being a Buddy is an absolute honour, knowing that you can help those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and gradually watch them, and their child develop in confidence and independence is an experience that cannot be underestimated.”
"Imagine finding yourself friendless, just you and your child in a strange city in a strange country where you don't speak the language and where you have no idea how to communicate with your child's teacher or your landlord or even where to buy the basics you need to survive.”

Sorting donations

“Imagine what it would be like to have someone local who is a friendly face in a sea of strangers and who is prepared to give up a small amount of time to help you practise basic conversation and to navigate those challenges that seem simple when you know how the systems work.”
“Being a Buddy is an absolute honour, knowing that you can help those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and gradually watch them, and their child develop in confidence and independence is an experience that cannot be underestimated.”
"Imagine finding yourself friendless, just you and your child in a strange city in a strange country where you don't speak the language and where you have no idea how to communicate with your child's teacher or your landlord or even where to buy the basics you need to survive.”
“Imagine what it would be like to have someone local who is a friendly face in a sea of strangers and who is prepared to give up a small amount of time to help you practise basic conversation and to navigate those challenges that seem simple when you know how the systems work.”
“Being a Buddy is an absolute honour, knowing that you can help those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and gradually watch them, and their child develop in confidence and independence is an experience that cannot be underestimated.”
"Imagine finding yourself friendless, just you and your child in a strange city in a strange country where you don't speak the language and where you have no idea how to communicate with your child's teacher or your landlord or even where to buy the basics you need to survive.”
“Imagine what it would be like to have someone local who is a friendly face in a sea of strangers and who is prepared to give up a small amount of time to help you practise basic conversation and to navigate those challenges that seem simple when you know how the systems work.”
“Being a Buddy is an absolute honour, knowing that you can help those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and gradually watch them, and their child develop in confidence and independence is an experience that cannot be underestimated.”
"Imagine finding yourself friendless, just you and your child in a strange city in a strange country where you don't speak the language and where you have no idea how to communicate with your child's teacher or your landlord or even where to buy the basics you need to survive.”
“Imagine what it would be like to have someone local who is a friendly face in a sea of strangers and who is prepared to give up a small amount of time to help you practise basic conversation and to navigate those challenges that seem simple when you know how the systems work.”
“Being a Buddy is an absolute honour, knowing that you can help those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and gradually watch them, and their child develop in confidence and independence is an experience that cannot be underestimated.”
"Imagine finding yourself friendless, just you and your child in a strange city in a strange country where you don't speak the language and where you have no idea how to communicate with your child's teacher or your landlord or even where to buy the basics you need to survive.”

Contact us

Do get in touch if you would like more information about the services we provide. We are a small team but will endeavour to get back to you within 5 working days.

If you would like to volunteer or make a referral, click on the buttons below to complete the relevant forms.

Get in touch

info@therefugeebuddyproject.org

Paris

42 Avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris, France

+1 212 425 8617

information@office.com

New York

5 Washington Square, New York, USA

+1 212 425 8617

information@office.com

Get in touch

info@therefugeebuddyproject.org

Paris

42 Avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris, France

+1 212 425 8617

information@office.com

New York

5 Washington Square, New York, USA

+1 212 425 8617

information@office.com

Get in touch

info@therefugeebuddyproject.org

Paris

42 Avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris, France

+1 212 425 8617

information@office.com

New York

5 Washington Square, New York, USA

+1 212 425 8617

information@office.com

Make referral

Become a buddy