Welcome to the UK

Welcome to the UK Welcome to the UK is a local charity in Southend and we support families from overseas to positively engage in their community.

Our families can reach their full potential through free ESOL classes, workshops and 1:1 support.

๐ŸŽญโœจ A Magical New Adventure Awaits! โœจ๐ŸŽญWe at W2UK are proud to support the latest production from BLAST Youth Theatre - Ga...
19/06/2026

๐ŸŽญโœจ A Magical New Adventure Awaits! โœจ๐ŸŽญ

We at W2UK are proud to support the latest production from BLAST Youth Theatre - Gather & Tell!

Inspired by folktales, storytelling traditions and the experiences of the young people involved, this original immersive theatre production takes audiences on an interactive journey through stories from around the world ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ“–โœจ

Featuring shadow puppetry, masks and a magnificent dragon puppet ๐Ÿ‰๐ŸŽญ
Gather & Tell celebrates the power of stories to bring people together and explores themes of courage, kindness, curiosity and wonder ๐Ÿ’ซ

Created by talented young people from BLAST Youth Theatre's Southend and Basildon groups ๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿ’›
A wonderful celebration of creativity, imagination and community.

๐Ÿ“ Metal, Chalkwell Hall, Southend-on-Sea
๐Ÿ“… Sunday 5 July
๐Ÿ• 1:00pm | 2:30pm | 4:00pm

๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ Tickets are available here
https://fienta.com/gather-and-tell

A perfect event for local families to enjoy together ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘งโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆโœจ

Huge congratulations to all the young performers, facilitators and the creative team ๐Ÿ‘

๐ŸŒŸRefugee Week continues with more meaningful activities, and we are delighted to share our recent visit to Southend Libr...
18/06/2026

๐ŸŒŸRefugee Week continues with more meaningful activities, and we are delighted to share our recent visit to Southend Libraries ๐Ÿ“šโœจ

A huge thank you to Southend Forum Library for welcoming us and supporting our visit during .

It was a fantastic opportunity for our members to explore the valuable resources, services, and opportunities available at the library. This visit played an important role in helping build confidence, independence, and stronger connections within the community.

We are especially pleased that many of our members were able to register for library cards and borrow books by the end of the visit, an important step in encouraging learning and continued engagement.

We truly appreciate Southend Forum Library for its support in making this meaningful experience possible during Refugee Week. ๐Ÿ’›

Stay tuned for more highlights as Refugee Week continues! ๐Ÿ“ธ

๐ŸŒโœจ Refugee Week Has Begun: โ€œMany Cultures, One Communityโœจ๐ŸŒWe are delighted to have started Refugee Week with a joyful an...
15/06/2026

๐ŸŒโœจ Refugee Week Has Begun: โ€œMany Cultures, One Communityโœจ๐ŸŒ

We are delighted to have started Refugee Week with a joyful and meaningful celebration under this yearโ€™s theme: โ€œMany Cultures, One Community.โ€

Our ESOL classes came together for a beautiful day of sharing, connection, and celebration. Learners brought traditional foods from their home countries, wore their cultural clothing with pride, and enjoyed music from around the world-creating a vibrant atmosphere filled with colour, warmth, and togetherness. ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ๐Ÿ‘—๐ŸŽถ

Throughout the day, we also took part in a variety of fun and engaging Refugee Week activities, including:
๐ŸŽฏ โ€œGuess the Flagโ€
๐Ÿ‘— โ€œTraditional Clothing Matchโ€
๐Ÿค Friendship Bingo
โ€ฆand many more interactive games that brought laughter, learning, and connection.

One of the most meaningful highlights was our Welcome Tree ๐ŸŒณ, where participants shared what makes them feel welcome. Words such as smile, friendship, community, and kindness were repeated again and again-powerful reminders of what truly brings us together.

We also warmly invite everyone to our Friendship Group celebration:
๐Ÿ“ Southend Office
๐Ÿ• Friday | 1:00 pm โ€“ 2:30 pm

This will be a special new celebration event for our Friendship Group-come along, celebrate with us, meet new people, and enjoy a warm and welcoming atmosphere. ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿค

It was a wonderful start to Refugee Week, celebrating diversity, strengthening friendships, and building our shared sense of community.

โœจ We were delighted to host Everyone Health Southend once again in our community โœจIt was a fantastic opportunity for our...
12/06/2026

โœจ We were delighted to host Everyone Health Southend once again in our community โœจ

It was a fantastic opportunity for our members to access a range of free health checks and speak directly with health professionals about their wellbeing ๐Ÿฉบ๐Ÿ’š

From blood pressure and cholesterol checks to blood sugar testing, the session encouraged many people to take a closer look at their health in a supportive and friendly environment. Advice and guidance on healthy lifestyles and stop smoking support were also available ๐Ÿšญ

We are very grateful for this continued partnership and the positive impact it brings to our community ๐ŸŒฟ

Thank you to Everyone Health Southend for their time, care, and ongoing support.

๐Ÿ“ฉ [email protected]
๐Ÿ“ Victoria Shopping Centre

We are thrilled to announce that Welcome to the UK will be hosting a stall at the upcoming SEND Information Day!Come alo...
12/06/2026

We are thrilled to announce that Welcome to the UK will be hosting a stall at the upcoming SEND Information Day!

Come along to meet our team, ask questions, and find out how we can support you
Details:

๐Ÿ“… Date: Tuesday, 16 June 2026
โฐ Time: 9:30 am โ€“ 2:30 pm
๐Ÿ“ Location: Southend Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6ER

No booking is required, just drop in

๐ŸŒป Celebrating Vyshyvanka Day at Basildon Hub ๐ŸŒปRecently, our Basildon Hub community came together to celebrate Vyshyvanka...
08/06/2026

๐ŸŒป Celebrating Vyshyvanka Day at Basildon Hub ๐ŸŒป

Recently, our Basildon Hub community came together to celebrate Vyshyvanka Day, an important Ukrainian tradition that honors culture, heritage, and national identity. The vyshyvanka is more than just traditional clothing, it is a symbol of unity, resilience, and pride that connects Ukrainians around the world.

As we reflect on this wonderful celebration, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our volunteers. Your dedication, generosity, and hard work have helped build and strengthen Basildon Hub, creating a welcoming space for our community to connect, support one another.

Every event, activity, and achievement is possible because of your commitment and passion. We are truly grateful for everything you do.

Thank you for being an essential part of Basildon and for helping our community grow stronger every day.

๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿ’› Together, we celebrate our culture, support one another, and keep our traditions alive.

๐ŸŒŸ Celebrating Volunteers' Week at Grays Hub! ๐ŸŒŸThis week at Welcome to the UK in Grays Hub, we are proud to celebrate the...
05/06/2026

๐ŸŒŸ Celebrating Volunteers' Week at Grays Hub! ๐ŸŒŸ

This week at Welcome to the UK in Grays Hub, we are proud to celebrate the incredible volunteers who give their time, energy, and kindness to support our community every day. ๐Ÿ’™

A special shout-out goes to Manisha, one of our dedicated volunteers, as we also celebrate her birthday this week! ๐ŸŽ‚โœจ Thank you, Manisha, for your commitment, positivity, and the difference you make to so many people.

Our activities continue as usual, and we're delighted to see them so well attended. The enthusiasm, connections, and community spirit shown each week remind us why our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do.

Join us in thanking all our amazing volunteers for the time they give and the lives they touch. Together, we are building a stronger, more welcoming community. ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ’™

๐Ÿ’™ Volunteer Week continuesThis week, weโ€™d like to say thank you to some more of our amazing volunteers.๐ŸŒŸ Thank you, Amal...
03/06/2026

๐Ÿ’™ Volunteer Week continues

This week, weโ€™d like to say thank you to some more of our amazing volunteers.

๐ŸŒŸ Thank you, Amal
Amal supports our ESOL classes and helps our learners during lessons. She also provides Ukrainian translation support and helps our members when needed.

๐ŸŒŸ Thank you, Jay
Jay provides one-to-one IT support to our members, helping them use computers, phones, and digital services. He is also always happy to help around the office and at events whenever support is needed.

๐ŸŒŸ Thank you, Carys
Cary joined us this week for work experience and supported us during Volunteer Week. She helped in our ESOL classes and assisted with office tasks throughout the week.

Thank you to all our volunteers for your time, support, and dedication to our community. ๐Ÿ’™

๐ŸŒŸ As we continue celebrating Volunteersโ€™ Week, weโ€™d like to say a heartfelt thank you to Liza and David for their incred...
02/06/2026

๐ŸŒŸ As we continue celebrating Volunteersโ€™ Week, weโ€™d like to say a heartfelt thank you to Liza and David for their incredible support.

๐Ÿ“š Liza has been a valued volunteer in our Ukrainian Drop-In Sessions, Conversation Club, and Absolute Beginners classes. Through her patience, encouragement, and friendly approach, she has helped learners build confidence in their English skills while creating a warm and welcoming environment for everyone.

โœจDavid has also been a fantastic support as a Conversation Club helper. His enthusiasm, kindness, and willingness to engage with learners have helped participants practise their English, gain confidence, and feel comfortable taking part in conversations. ๐ŸŒ

๐Ÿ‘ Both Liza and David have made a meaningful contribution to our learning programmes and community activities. Their dedication, generosity, and commitment to supporting others are truly appreciated.

๐Ÿ™ Thank you, Liza and David, for everything you do. We are proud to have you as part of the Welcome to the UK family. ๐Ÿ’โค๏ธ

๐ŸŒŸ

What a fantastic start to the week for Welcome to the UK as we celebrate Volunteersโ€™ Week ๐ŸŒŸToday, we were honoured to we...
01/06/2026

What a fantastic start to the week for Welcome to the UK as we celebrate Volunteersโ€™ Week ๐ŸŒŸ

Today, we were honoured to welcome the High Sheriff of Essex for a special visit to our organisation. The occasion was made even more special as two of our amazing volunteers received awards from the High Sheriff in recognition of their dedication and service. ๐Ÿ†

A huge congratulations to Anju, who has been volunteering with us for over five years as a volunteer and Assistant Teacher, and to Arancha, who has been volunteering as an Assistant teacher too with Welcome to the UK for more than three years.

We are incredibly proud of them both and grateful for the positive impact they make in our community every day. โค๏ธ

Watch this space ,we have more exciting activities planned throughout Volunteersโ€™ Week.

Address

362 Chartwell Square
Southend-on-Sea
SS25SP

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+447581184115

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