Refugee Response

Supporting and resourcing local expressions of The Salvation Army to help people seeking sanctuary.

There has never been more people in history seeking sanctuary from war, persecution and conflict. Sometimes described as the ‘refugee crisis’, the global movement of significant numbers of people has increased in recent years due to conflict in Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine.

The Salvation Army, recognising the vulnerability of people forced to flee their homes — many of whom are children — has been focused on finding ways to ‘welcome the stranger’ with Jesus-centred compassion. Refugee Response, a team based within Community Services at territorial headquarters, aims to support and resource local responses to this global crisis.

Leaders, members and volunteers at corps and centres across the territory are working tirelessly to create communities that reflect the essence of welcome at the heart of the gospel. This includes community-led refugee resettlement programmes like Community Sponsorship and Homes for Ukraine, as well as practical support for asylum seekers housed in the neighbourhood.

As we have deepened this work, we have discovered that through welcome comes rich and deep transformation, both for those being welcomed and for those with the privilege of being the welcomer.

Meet the team

• Ben Still, Refugee Response Manager
• Anita Gellatly, Assistant Refugee Response Co-ordinator

Connect with us

• Facebook group: The Salvation Army UKI Refugee Response
• Email for general enquiries: communityservices@salvationarmy.org.uk
• Email for anything related to the Homes for Ukraine scheme: homesforukraine@salvationarmy.org.uk

Recommended resources

• Booklet: Home from Home: A Community Sponsorship of Refugees — information about Community Sponsorship from The Salvation Army's Refugee Response team, UKI Territory
• International Positional Statement: Refugees and Asylum Seekers, The Salvation Army
• Webinar: Welcoming the Stranger: The Ethics of Migration, The Salvation Army, Moral and Social Issues Council, UKI Territory
• Podcast: Munnday Mornings, Refugees with Dr. Jim Read, presented by Colonel Richard Munn 
• Study guide: Refugees and Asylum Seekers, The Salvation Army, International Social Justice Commission
• Book: Refuge Reimagined: Biblical Kinship in Global Politics by Mark Glanville and Luke Glanville