At Space4U ..... We create together a comfortable and welcoming space especially for people who are seeking asylum or are refugees. We offer friendship and support and respond quickly to immediate needs. Working together, we try to ensure that dignity is maintained, hope is not lost and justice is pursued.
The Space4U drop-in Space4U is a drop-in facility especially for people seeking asylum and refugees. It is currently held at St German's Church Hall in Adamsdown while our long-term home at Trinity Centre is being renovated. Space4U tries to lessen stress and anxiety by meeting basic needs where possible, providing light refreshments, a hot meal, recreational activities (e.g. table tennis, board games and art), clothing, food and toiletries in emergencies, and English teaching.
Space4U offers help and information and is often able to signpost people where it cannot meet needs itself. It has good knowledge as well as links to other organisations and groups in the city.
Space4U is facilitated by volunteers who come from various backgrounds, many of whom come from the community of those seeking asylum and refugees. It has no paid workers. It is supported by donations and gifts in kind as well as funding from grants.
People at Space4U come from countries and with languages from all over the world and from all faith groups and none.
Our history - how Space4U began Space4U started in July 2007 when a small group of people who were asylum seekers and refugees met to chat together at Trinity Methodist Church with Rev Steven Hill who was the minister there, and Ruth O'Neill, a catholic sister working as a volunteer in Cardiff. Both were concerned about the situation of people who were asylum seekers in Cardiff and the lack of services for them. They were especially concerned that there was no place to gather and spend time except in their homes. Their homes were rooms in shared houses and a number of asylum seekers in Cardiff had been made destitute and had no place at all. Steven and Ruth, with the approval of the church at Trinity, agreed to meet weekly with the small group. Over the years the attendance increased dramatically, the services offered expanded and Space4U became a registered charity.