New Arrivals Alliance Update: Autumn 2025

As we enter Autumn, we reflect on some of the achievements of the Alliance this summer.

Welcome to our New Arrivals update

As we enter autumn, it is positive to reflect on some of the achievements of the Alliance this summer. The fantastic work with the Steering Group, wider partners, and community groups has firmly established the Alliance as a central hub for queries and support. Thank you for all your support and assistance in progressing the Alliance. Always feel free to reach out if you have anything you would like to discuss or share.

• NAA Steering Group - Andrew Jackson (Upbeat Communities) and Lesley Gladwell (Rebuild) will be leaving the NAA Steering Group. On behalf of the Steering Group, Community Action's CEO Kim Harper has asked me to convey sincere thanks to Andrew and Lesley for all of their dedication and hard work. Kim said: "Both Andrew and Lesley have been instrumental in establishing and supporting the Alliance since the beginning, and their invaluable contributions have made a lasting impact on the Alliance and our communities in Derby. It has been my privilege to work alongside them, and I will miss their insight and contributions. I would like to wish Lesley and Andrew all the very best for the future." Andrew and Lesley's replacements will be introduced in the next communication update.
• Funding from Wilson Street Surgery – We have applied for and achieved some most welcome funding from our partners at Wilson Street Surgery, which will be utilised effectively to support key projects and initiatives. We will ensure that we maximise this and continue looking for new opportunities that the Alliance and its partners can avail themselves of.    
• Community tensions – Sad as it may be, I feel that an acknowledgement of what is taking place within our communities needs to be mentioned in this communication. Again, our communities are being divided by toxic narratives which have little or no basis in fact. The Alliance and its integral partners have been on the front line of pushing back against this divisive rhetoric with a positive counter-narrative. The extreme right appear emboldened by the current local, national and global geo-politics and that makes it critical that we support each other and stand against hate and prejudice, however it manifests itself.
• Clothing supplies for new arrivals and an Expression of Interest (EOI) to supply this service – The Alliance is reviewing its methods of allocating clothing to new arrivals and is looking for innovative partners to support this function. If you have a grounding in working with new arrivals, refugees or those seeking asylum, I encourage you to consider applying. The relevant information is available here and if you have any queries, then don’t hesitate to contact me. This is a critical function and high on the hierarchy of need for those new to the city. The deadline for EOI submissions is 12pm on Friday 17 October 2025.
• IPPR (Institute for Public Policy Research) - a public policy think tank – The outstanding work carried out in Derby in the asylum, refugee and new communities’ space has led to us being selected for national best practice consultation in the field. This recognition is because we are seen as a forward thinking and well-regarded leader in the response to new communities. This gives us an ability to shape policy from the outset. Key partners and the community have had the opportunity to showcase and highlight the best practice being piloted in Derby and to understand the social dynamics and the shifting sands of migration to the city. This will enable political leaders to better understand the drivers of social division and resilience in the wake of recent unrest, and to support the development of more cohesive communities across the UK. Ultimately it is intended to shape policy and to understand the pressures in the sector. It is great to see Derby on the front line of shaping a national response to enhancing community cohesion, asylum accommodation, cohesion strategies, and community resilience.
• NewRoots Hub – I’d like to take the opportunity to introduce a new partner and group operating in the new arrivals space. Lindsey and Nicole would like to introduce themselves if you haven’t already met:

🌱 Introducing NewRoots Hub 🌱

We’re excited to share the launch of NewRoots Hub a not-for-profit Community Interest Company dedicated to supporting new arrivals, including refugees and asylum seekers, as they begin their journey in the UK. Our mission is simple yet powerful - to provide the skills, confidence, and community connections that help people build strong foundations for the future.

• Single Point of Contact – induction and orientation - Ben at Upbeat has been in post for approximately six months with key progress and milestones being achieved as we move forward to a cohesive and comprehensive Single Point of Contact scheme to provide induction and orientation services for new arrivals in the city. Already, tangible progress has taken place, and we now have the fundamentals in place for early intervention, as well as a quality-controlled and standardised delivery of critical services and guidance to support new arrivals. This is reducing the stress and anxiety experienced by new arrivals when starting out in a new city and country. We are positive this will ultimately have a hugely beneficial impact and believe the establishment of the post will mitigate many of the issues that have previously been experienced by asylum seekers and refugees. 
• Lived Experience Group - The Lived Experience Group has been formally approved, recruited, and adopted by the Alliance. This is a significant milestone for the Alliance. We now move into the early phases of consolidation. Ann from Derbyshire Refugee Solidarity and Lesley from Rebuild East Midlands are leading on this project. So, again, a massive thanks to them for taking a lead and implementing this group. The group has now come together for its inaugural meeting. Please see an update from Katie Pealing who has facilitated the group and helped get it up and running. Katie - “Last week we held the first meeting of the lived experience group for the New Arrivals Alliance. Our members comprised of 13 people from 10 different countries, bringing with them a wealth of experience and knowledge of what it is like being a new arrival in Derby. We discussed how the group view Derby, which was overwhelmingly positive. We also started identifying priorities to discuss over the next few meetings. The group were passionate, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable and were bursting with ideas; we are excited for the next meeting to begin bringing these ideas to life”

• Funding Allocation Group – The Alliance is now in a position to assemble an independent funding committee. They will ensure a neutral, unbiased and equitable system is in place in order to get relevant funding to the most appropriate body. This is a work in progress, and they will work closely with the Lived Experience Group to ensure that our response is the best it can be to maximise funding and resources as well as providing the most efficient and effective response to key issues for our service users.
• Webpage & information updates - The fantastic Communications Team at Community Action have led on the revision of the website to improve user experience and ensure it is as user-friendly and intuitive as possible. It continues to be updated and further populated with information and advice. It contains information on services and agencies available to support new arrivals, refugees, and those seeking asylum. As always, if you have any activities that require publicising or supporting this can be facilitated through the website and expeditiously communicated to the Alliance and its wider membership group.

Richard Keene
New Arrivals Alliance Manager
richard.keene@communityactionderby.org.uk