UK Charities Unite Asylum Seekers and Environmental Work

In north Wales, dozens of asylum seekers, refugees, and environmental volunteers are collaborating to restore natural habitats at Tŷ Mawr country park. The initiative, a partnership between Action Asylum, Asylum Link Merseyside, the North Wales Wildlife Trust, and the Dee Trust, focuses on tasks like removing invasive plants and planting trees.

Action Asylum began in 2020 and has successfully integrated people seeking asylum into environmental volunteering, fostering community and improving well-being. The charity recently received £1.62 million from the National Lottery’s climate action fund to expand its programs to cities including Sheffield and Newcastle.

Volunteers express that working with nature provides a sense of purpose and belonging, offering a respite from the challenges of seeking asylum. The project also allows participants to connect with their cultural roots through activities like growing familiar crops, even while displaced from their homelands. Over the next three years, Action Asylum plans to engage over 3,000 volunteers in 120 climate action events.