Napier Drop-In Centre CIC

11/06/2025

It's all about

Today are joining us with the Community Table for some mental health support and after a Syrian Kurdish lunch cooked by some of the men from Napier and .friends , in the afternoon we're getting active with professional dancers from .armonico

We also have legal support on hand from North West Kent Citizens Advice Bureau.

We're gearing up for a wonderful next week for in collaboration with Napier Friends. Watch this space to book!

25/03/2025

SBHL finally loses its government contract to run asylum accommodation.

This Drop-in Centre, .friends and provided the support to asylum seekers housed at Napier Barracks, that companies like SBHL failed to. They were paid to provide support and instead the money was siphoned off for profit, while we scratched around for donations and funding and our staff are mainly immensely dedicated volunteers.

Here's to everyone who's worked, volunteered, and advocated tirelessly for improvements to asylum accommodation. And good riddance to SBHL 👋🏼🗑️

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/mar/25/bibby-stockholm-contractor-to-replace-home-offices-asylum-hotel-provider

14/03/2025

We need to talk about

Another ex-military base used to accommodate asylum seekers.

Like Napier - only more remote.
Like Napier - with many more asylum seekers housed there (2-300 at Napier, around 700 at Wethersfield).
Like Napier - only no NGOs allowed on site to provide support, activities or advice.

The judgement handed down today was the right decision. Asylum seekers should not be held in these mass accommodation sites where their basic human rights are breached and they are cut off from communities, support and integration, camps which are run with millions of pounds of taxpayers money going straight into the pockets of unscrupulous accommodation providers. The money really doesn't get spent on the residents. I've seen the ££££ super cars and Chanel handbags on the directors.....

We stand with

in calling for the end to mass asylum accommodation



https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1lp7nzllm2o

06/03/2025

For one of our last sessions pre Ramadan we welcomed long-time collaborators to the Drop-In. A chance to , to , , and at the Community Table. We are spending a lot of time assisting people with legal referrals so it's important to offer calming activities alongside this necessary but often intense work.

We have a lot of fabulous new volunteers so thank you and welcome to you all!

18/10/2024

Sometimes you just need a new on things. This week we tried out some and the Drop-In with the fabulous - and by the end we were all lying on the floor, relaxing our minds and bodies and focusing on our breath.

We had a surprise visit from a former resident who has been accepted on a Sanctuary Scholarship at - we are so proud of him. He also volunteers as much as he can with those in need in the community. He really is an inspiration.

07/10/2024

What have we been up to these past few weeks? An uplifting workshop about access to higher education with the wonderful OLIve - Open Learning Initiative - from

We talked about access to a free online 12 week course supporting people from refugee backgrounds who want to go to university and examined what English levels and skills are needed to apply.

10/09/2024

We need more of this! Sharing stories about the realities of seeking asylum in the UK from the people who experience the system directly.

Isaac attended the Drop-In during his time at Napier Barracks and we provided advice and support for him. A beautiful and humble soul we were honoured to spend time with him. It's great to see people sharing their experiences and bravely bringing the humanity into the polarized debate around migration. Good luck Isaac!

Read the full article here 👉🏼https://theface.com/society/young-asylum-seeker-uk-napier-barracks

05/09/2024

I'm a guest speaker at the conference 'Border Control'

Join me for a talk on 'Kent Immigration Border Architecture' and the work of the Drop-In to mitigate the hostility of asylum accommodation, and pervasive anti-migrant rhetoric.

05/09/2024

🚨New funding link alert! 🚨

We are always looking to improve our services for refugees and just a few pounds can go a long way. If you want to make a difference to the lives of refugees in the UK, please support our Drop-In, an established safe space for asylum seekers from Napier Barracks providing tailored advice and support to people seeking refuge in Britain.

Every Wednesday since March 2021 a group of volunteers have come together to run a drop-in centre for asylum seekers housed at Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent. When we first opened the Napier Drop-in it was essential for the residents to have a welcoming, safe-space to seek advice and support an...

03/09/2024

This simply can't keep happening. Utterly heartbreaking to hear the news from our nearby shores this evening. How can this be? We allow people, this time women and children, to drown at sea because they are trying to get to the UK.


We demand because there are none, whatever the want you to believe... There are no safe routes from Eritrea, from Afghanistan, from Syria ....and countries in Europe take in high numbers of refugees. We take very few comparatively and we are historically responsible for much of the instability around the world. We can't keep standing by while children drown on our shores. Write to your MP and demand safe routes now.

22/08/2024

We're back and with some wonderful news!

We want to introduce you to Ismael. We met back at the beginning of the summer at the Drop-In. He got involved with and had his first experience of and

With our support he applied for a sanctuary scholarship to study at and we're delighted to say he's been accepted 😁😁👏🏼👏🏼 🎉🎉

We hope this is the first in a long line of scholarships for the amazing people we work with from Napier Barracks. This is what fulfilling your dreams looks like 🌠

Imaged shared with permission

02/08/2024

This week we made with the help of Teach Me Courses creating a community Arts Council England funded for New Romney. We also hosted solicitor's appointments for at least 8 people in need of legal representation.