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The Cedar Review

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The Cedar Review

A review into refugee entrepreneurship in the UK.

30/07/2026

It has been such an energising (and hot!) week for the Cedar Review team! We’ve been out and about meeting with so many brilliant entrepreneurs and industry experts, and these conversations are exactly why we do what we do.

We are finalising our report and planning what’s next for the Review, but we know the most important part of this project is the people behind the businesses. We want to make sure we capture as many voices as possible.

Are you a refugee entrepreneur? We want to hear your story. Whether it's the challenges you've faced or the successes you've celebrated, your experience is vital to our research. If you’d like to share your story with us, please reach out to us at [email protected] or check the link in our bio to see how you can get involved!

Image description: Picture 1 shows Ally and Sally smiling outside Prufrock Coffee. Picture 2 shows Waleed stood in his storage room within his business.

28/07/2026

Today marks 75 years since the 1951 Refugee Convention, created with a clear purpose to ensure that those seeking safety have a path to rebuild their lives and contribute to their new communities.

Through the work of the Review, we have seen that when refugees are provided with safety and stability, refugees not only integrate well into their communities, but thrive and innovate. They become entrepreneurs, employers, and essential contributors to the UK economy.

This anniversary is a reminder that the Convention’s purpose goes beyond survival, and should create conditions where people can thrive. As we head toward our final report this autumn, we are committed to driving changes that transform that promise of safety into a foundation for long-term entrepreneurial success.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

Image description: A navy and pink graphic with text '75 years since the Refugee Convention', along with the Cedar Review logo.

27/07/2026

It was great to visit Breadwinners at the market this weekend!

It’s always a highlight for us to get out and connect with the incredible businesses that are doing amazing work like this for refugees. Seeing Breadwinners in action, bringing their passion to the Lloyds Park market, is a powerful reminder of the resilience and innovation that refugees bring to the UK’s small business ecosystem.

We are so grateful for the chance to meet, learn, and hear more about their journey as we continue our research for the Cedar Review. Our work to understand the economic potential of refugee-founded businesses and develop evidence-based recommendations for the autumn report is powered by these real-world conversations and connections.

Image description: 2 members from the Breadwinners team standing under a branded market stall, selling loaves of bread.

24/07/2026

Yesterday was such a proud moment celebrating the graduates of the UP Collective programme, and we wanted to take a moment to shine a light on the partners who made it all possible.

A huge thank you to TERN - The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network and Ben & Jerry's for their vital support of this programme. This programme’s mentors and business coaches have provided the expert guidance and practical sessions that helped these aspiring entrepreneurs build their business ideas from the ground up.

It’s these kinds of collaborative efforts, combining deep expertise with a clear social mission, that are so essential for creating pathways to entrepreneurship.

TERN and Ben & Jerry’s are also on the Steering Board of the Cedar Review, and we love having their input and support with our own work!

Find out more at the link in our bio.

Image description: Picture 1 shows Charlie from Tern and Jessie from Ben & Jerry's having a conversation at the recent Refugee Week event. Picture 2 shows beige Ben & Jerry's branded tote bags on a table.

23/07/2026

Great to be with the ACH today and their graduating cohort of their UP Collective Programme!

Over the past twelve weeks, refugee and migrant entrepreneurs from across Coventry have participated in the UP Collective Pre-Entrepreneurship Programme, developing business ideas, building confidence, and exploring self-employment as a pathway into economic participation and independence.

The Cedar Review team also held a focus group before the event, chatting to aspiring entrepreneurs about their ideas, the challenges they’ve faced so far, and how important community and local training programmes can be for their development and integration.

Thank you ACH team for having us, and we are looking forward to seeing all these wonderful business ideas grow!

Image descriptions: Pictures from today's event which include a group selfie, an image of the room with guests sat down, an image showing a business plan and an attendee serving traditional food.

22/07/2026

Since our launch at the House of Lords back in February, we’ve had the privilege of connecting with so many inspiring entrepreneurs and partners—from roundtables in London and focus groups in Glasgow to our recent Refugee Week celebrations at Trampoline Cafe and the Artist Residence.

Every event has been an opportunity to listen, learn, and gather the evidence needed to shape our final report. We’ve loved every conversation and every shared story, which will be essential for our final report, launching later this year.

We’re already looking forward to our next gatherings and can’t wait to see our community in person again soon. Stay tuned for more updates on where we’ll be next!

Image descriptions: Pictures taken from the launch event and the Refugee week event, showing attendees listening to speeches, smiling for pictures and taking part in conversations.

21/07/2026

Since launch, we’ve been busy hosting focus groups, and conducting in-depth interviews with refugee entrepreneurs across the UK. It has been a privilege to hear firsthand about the experiences, challenges, and successes that define this vibrant community.

These conversations are some of the most important parts of our research. Over the next few months, we are continuing to expand our reach to ensure we include a diverse range of perspectives from across all sectors and regions. Our goal is to ensure our final recommendations are grounded in reality and truly reflect the lived experience of the founders we are here to support.

If you have a story to share or want to contribute your expertise to our research, we would love to hear from you. Please reach out to the team at [email protected] or visit the link in our bio to find out how you can get involved.

Image descriptions: Pictures show past focus groups which took place in London with the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association and in Glasgow with the Ukrainian Business Woman in Scotland Club.

20/07/2026

Today we are spotlighting a key member of our Steering Board: Philip Salter, the founder of The Entrepreneurs Network and such a valued member of our community!

Since joining the Board, Philip has been a fantastic advocate for our mission, bringing invaluable perspective from his extensive work championing entrepreneurship across the UK. His insight and commitment to building a more vibrant and inclusive business landscape have been essential to our research as we work to better understand the barriers and opportunities for refugee founders.

Thank you, Philip, for your ongoing support and for being such a vital part of the Cedar Review team, and of our wider Small Business Britain community.

Picture shows Philip on the balcony at the House of Lords smiling into camera.

17/07/2026

We are so excited to see Mouna and her incredible business Mouna's Kitchen featured in 'The Unknown Chefs', a brand new documentary series now streaming on Apple TV and Prime Video. Mouna's journey from Aleppo to her beloved food stall at Mercato Metropolitano is a powerful testament to the resilience and heritage that refugee entrepreneurs bring to the UK.

Her success is a brilliant example of the valuable economic and cultural contribution made by refugee-led businesses, as we explore this through the work of the Cedar Review. A huge congratulations to Mouna for this well-deserved recognition!

Pic shows Mouna at The Cedar Review launch recently!

16/07/2026

Refugee-led businesses are a vital part of the UK’s small business ecosystem. From local high street shops to innovative startups, these businesses create jobs, drive local growth, and contribute to tax revenues.

The Cedar Review is examining the current economic landscape to understand the full scale of this contribution. We aren’t looking for charitable solutions; we are looking at economic drivers. By identifying systemic barriers, we hope to unlock potential that benefits the entire UK economy, making it more dynamic, diverse, and resilient.

Stay tuned as we continue to examine the refugee entrepreneurship landscape, leading up to our final report launch in the autumn this year.

Pic shows Ally and Anna from The Cedar Review.

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