Borough of Sanctuary 2026 – Small Grants up to £1,500
This year, we've offered small grants of up to £1500 to support individuals living or working in Lewisham and local organisations to develop their own projects to support our Borough of Sanctuary work.
We've received close to 50 grant applications and were very impressed by the quality and diversity of submissions. We're pleased to able to fund 18 projects relating to the key Borough of Sanctuary objectives:
- Reducing barriers to access and inequalities experienced by people seeking sanctuary (refugees, people seeking asylum and people with no recourse to public funds - NRPF)
- Promoting belonging, connectedness and wellbeing of sanctuary seekers and solidarity between different communities
- Promoting sanctuary seeker voice, educating Lewisham residents about issues relating to migration, forced displacement and sanctuary
The winning projects were selected by a small grants panel consisting of two Council officers and two members with lived experience of seeking sanctuary.
All our funded projects support multiple sanctuary seeking communities. Many are open to all Lewisham residents.
Projects selected for grant funding
Sanctuary seeker led projects – projects organised by individuals, supported by a local organisation
- Pilates Lessons for sanctuary seekers and wider community (supported by Facework)
- therapeutic art sessions for sanctuary seekers and wider community (supported by Facework)
- mental health and wellbeing support club (supported by Facework)
- migrant Women’s wellbeing session (supported by Action for Refugees in Lewisham)
- Discovering Lewisham – joint trips to Lewisham’s attractions and community spaces (supported by Dobrodiy)
Projects led by local organisations
- community grant skills workshops (Dobrodiy)
- drama-based project exploring displacement and sanctuary (Ukrainian scouts and Forest Hill scouts)
- community meal, allotment and foodbank (Action for Refugees in Lewisham)
- baby bank bespoke bundles (Mammakind)
- community meal (Plateful Café)
- computer repair and access (Lewisham Donation Hub)
- pathways to work for women (Mothers into Work)
- social supermarket and hot food (Kinship Kitchen)
- immediate relief fund for victims of violence against women and girls (Refuge)
- New Roots Radio monthly programme run by sanctuary seekers (Sounds Like Chaos)
- art installations by sanctuary seekers as part of Brockley Max festival (Max Studios)
- connecting sanctuary seekers to volunteering opportunities (The Good Gym)
- Sanctuary in Sydenham workshops (Calico Libraries)