West End Refugee Service (WERS)
WERS is a Newcastle-based charity, founded in 1999, providing free immigration advice, advocacy, employability support, and community programmes to refugees and people seeking asylum across the North East of England through ~20 staff and 90+ volunteers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersNewcastle, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What West End Refugee Service (WERS) does
West End Refugee Service (WERS) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), registered charity number 1192667 in England and Wales, founded in 1999 in Newcastle upon Tyne to support refugees and people seeking asylum. It delivers services across the North East of England through a hybrid of fixed community locations, mobile outreach, and digital channels, employing approximately 20 staff and over 90 volunteers. Its core programmes include Immigration Advice and Advocacy (IAA/OISC accredited), the SkillsMatch employability programme matching refugees with volunteering and work experience, the Seven Bridges Café social enterprise with Dance City, the WERS Podcast and Digital for All digital inclusion programme, and a portfolio of community activities (Weekly Welcome, yoga, football, cooking, art, gardening, Walk and Talk).
WERS makes all of its services free at the point of use to beneficiaries and operates a non-profit funding model with no government funding. Revenue is sourced from individual donations, charitable grants (National Lottery Community Fund, Virgin Money Foundation, Aviva Community Fund), and corporate partnerships including pro-bono technical support from Accenture Tech4Good. The organisation reports a cost ratio of 77 pence of every pound spent on programmes (19% management, 4% fundraising). Its underlying technology is a Squarespace-hosted multilingual website supporting Kurdish Sorani, Farsi, Pashto and Arabic, rebuilt in 2025 with Accenture to improve accessibility for asylum seekers.
The organisation is currently undergoing a structural transition: Andy Durma was confirmed as permanent CEO in 2024, Alice Mason was appointed Chair in April 2024, the legal structure was converted to a CIO on 1 April 2025, and WERS is scheduled to relocate from its 25-year base at the former Vicarage in Newcastle's West End to a flexible regional delivery model in 2026. WERS also runs awareness-raising and policy campaigns including Lift the Ban on the right to work.
West End Refugee Service (WERS) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- West End Refugee Service (WERS)
- Legal name
- West End Refugee Service
- Website
- https://wers.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- WERS is a Newcastle-based charity, founded in 1999, providing free immigration advice, advocacy, employability support, and community programmes to refugees and people seeking asylum across the North East of England through ~20 staff and 90+ volunteers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
West End Refugee Service (WERS) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Refugee and Asylum Support Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Community Housing Services (62422)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)
Keywords
Where West End Refugee Service (WERS) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Newcastle
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
West End Refugee Service (WERS) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: WERS relies on donations from individuals, communities and supporters who believe in hope, opportunity and dignity for refugees and people seeking asylum. For every £1 WERS spends, more than 77 pence goes to programmes and services.
- Charitable Grants and Foundation Funding: WERS receives funding from charitable foundations including Aviva Community Fund, National Lottery Community Fund, and Virgin Money Foundation. Funding supports specific programmes like Skillsmatch and activities.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners like Accenture provide pro-bono technical assistance. Companies can also sponsor events and campaigns.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free services for refugees and asylum seekers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
West End Refugee Service (WERS) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WERS provides free information, advice, advocacy and support services to refugees and people seeking asylum in North East England. Core offerings include IAA-accredited immigration advice and advocacy, the SkillsMatch employability programme with volunteering and work placements, the Seven Bridges Café social enterprise with Dance City, the Digital for All programme including the WERS Podcast, Weekly Welcome community sessions, and a range of cultural, social and wellbeing activities (yoga, football, cooking, gardening, pottery, art, walk and talk). The organisation also campaigns for systemic change including the Lift the Ban campaign on the right to work.
Product overview
West End Refugee Service (WERS) is a charitable organisation providing support services to refugees and people seeking asylum in the North East of England. WERS operates as a single integrated service organisation offering multiple interconnected programmes rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core services include Information, Advice, Advocacy & Support; Development and Progression; and Impact through Collaboration. Key named programmes include SkillsMatch (employability support with volunteering placements), the Seven Bridges Café (hospitality training social enterprise in partnership with Dance City), the WERS Podcast (digital storytelling platform part of Digital for All), and community activities including yoga, football, cooking, and art sessions. Additional services include financial support, awareness-raising initiatives, and the Weekly Welcome sessions. The organisation transitioned to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) structure in April 2025.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Seven Bridges Café: A collaborative project between WERS and Dance City where WERS clients receive training and opportunities while sharing their cultures through food and conversation. Located inside Dance City in Newcastle.
Products and services
- SkillsMatch (Employability Programmes) An employability programme that matches refugees and people seeking asylum with volunteering opportunities, training, and work experience placements to help them develop skills, build confidence, and gain UK work experience.
- Seven Bridges Café A collaborative social enterprise between WERS and Dance City where WERS clients receive training and opportunities in hospitality while sharing their cultures through cooking and food. Provides barista training, menu planning, front of house experience, and food ordering skills.
- WERS Podcast A digital platform where people seeking asylum and refugees share their stories in their own words, part of the Digital for All programme supported by Virgin Money Foundation.
- Digital for All A digital inclusion programme supporting refugees and people seeking asylum to access technology, developed with support from Virgin Money Foundation.
- Weekly Welcome Sessions Weekly sessions held at Westgate Baptist Church welcoming 30-40 individuals seeking refuge for friendly chats, meals, games, workshops and community activities including cooking groups.
- Activities and Connections Programme Cultural, social and wellbeing activities including yoga, football, cooking club, gardening, badminton, pottery sessions, walk and talk groups, and art club to promote community connections and mental health.
- Explore Your Universe: Valuing Inclusion STEM workshops and stargazing sessions partnership with Kielder Observatory enabling refugees and people seeking asylum to explore science while building confidence and connections.
- Immigration Advice and Advocacy Information, advice, advocacy and support services including immigration advice accredited by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA/OISC).
- Awareness Raising Sessions Sessions offered to local organisations, businesses and schools to tell the story of refugees, challenge harmful stereotypes, and encourage critical thinking about misinformation.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1,000 individuals supported in 2024
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use West End Refugee Service (WERS)
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
West End Refugee Service (WERS) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
West End Refugee Service (WERS) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Kielder ObservatorycorePartnership through the Explore Your Universe: Valuing Inclusion programme, where refugees and people seeking asylum participate in STEM workshops and stargazing sessions, discovering the wonders of the night sky while building confidence and connections.
- Accenture Tech4GoodcoreAccenture's Tech4Good team transformed WERS' website to better serve the community, improving navigation, adding multilingual support, and enhancing colour contrast for readability. Work was facilitated through the Community Foundation's Corporate Volunteering initiative.
- Dance CitycoreSeven Bridges Café is a collaborative project between WERS and Dance City, where WERS clients can receive training and opportunities whilst sharing their cultures through discussion and food. The café provides a space for refugees to pay homage to their culture through cooking and for people of all backgrounds to be part of a community.
- Community FoundationcoreConnected WERS with Accenture's Tech4Good team through their Corporate Volunteering initiative, facilitating the website redesign project.
- Newcastle LibrariescorePartnership through The Europe Challenge programme to launch The Culture Library, providing English practice sessions, cultural activities, and inclusive book collections in multiple languages for refugees and asylum seekers.
- Haref (Connected Voice)coreWERS and Haref delivered a joint presentation at Newcastle City Council Health & Social Care Scrutiny Committee, sharing insights on services provided and how demand has changed over time.
- Scotswood GardenminorCollaborative partner for gardening activities and environmental programmes including the Walk on the Wildside project involving immersive soundscape composition created by WERS members.
- Skimstone ArtsminorCollaborative partner for Refugee Week events, delivering workshops and performances at Dance City.
- Gosforth Civic TheatreminorVenue for WERS fundraising events including a music night that raised £4,823 for supporting refugees and people seeking asylum.
- Durham Wildlife TrustminorConservation organisation where WERS SkillsMatch participant Dr. Mebrat Teklemariam volunteers, contributing her ecology expertise while gaining UK experience.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
West End Refugee Service (WERS) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- City of Sanctuary: UK-wide movement of cities, towns and villages committed to welcoming people seeking sanctuary. WERS explicitly references 'City of Sanctuary Ambassadors' — strong programmatic and philosophical alignment on community-led sanctuary work.
- Refugee Action: UK-wide charity providing practical support and advocacy for refugees and asylum seekers. Closest direct peer to WERS — both run information/advice services and campaigns like 'Lift the Ban'; Refugee Action's national scale is the larger analogue of WERS' North East work.
- Migrant Help: Charity delivering advice, casework and accommodation support across the UK asylum system. Directly comparable to WERS' IAA-accredited immigration advice and community-facing refugee services, with overlapping beneficiary cohorts.
- Asylum Matters: Charity coalition campaigning for a fairer UK asylum system. Directly aligned with WERS' policy advocacy work (Lift the Ban) and awareness-raising activity in schools and community organisations.
Broad incumbents
- British Red Cross (Refugee Services): Major humanitarian organisation running refugee support and family reunion programmes across the UK. Overlaps with WERS on asylum support delivery but operates at far greater scale and with broader humanitarian remits.
- Refugee Council: Largest UK refugee-support umbrella charity providing advice, casework, policy and programmes. Overlaps with WERS on information/advice delivery and advocacy at greater national scale.
Regional players
- Haref (Connected Voice): Newcastle-based minority-ethnic health and social support network. WERS and Haref already deliver joint presentations to Newcastle City Council — direct local peer with overlapping migrant-community engagement.
- Scottish Refugee Council: Scotland's national refugee NGO delivering advice, advocacy, and integration programmes. Comparable mission, programmes and beneficiary profile to WERS but operating in Scotland rather than North East England.
- North of England Refugee Service (NERS): Regional refugee support charity operating across North East and Yorkshire. Closest geographic peer to WERS, providing overlapping information, advice and community services for asylum seekers in the same region.
Others
- Musicians Without Borders: International NGO using community music for refugee integration. Relevant adjacent peer to WERS' Seven Bridges Café / Dance City cultural-inclusion model, illustrating how arts-based delivery is operationalised in the refugee sector.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
West End Refugee Service (WERS) social profiles
Digital presenceWest End Refugee Service (WERS) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
West End Refugee Service (WERS) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
West End Refugee Service (WERS) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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West End Refugee Service (WERS) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about West End Refugee Service (WERS)
What does West End Refugee Service (WERS) do?
WERS provides free information, advice, advocacy and support services to refugees and people seeking asylum in North East England. Core offerings include IAA-accredited immigration advice and advocacy, the SkillsMatch employability programme with volunteering and work placements, the Seven Bridges Café social enterprise with Dance City, the Digital for All programme including the WERS Podcast, Weekly Welcome community sessions, and a range of cultural, social and wellbeing activities (yoga, football, cooking, gardening, pottery, art, walk and talk). The organisation also campaigns for systemic change including the Lift the Ban campaign on the right to work.
Is West End Refugee Service (WERS) a public or private company?
West End Refugee Service (WERS) is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was West End Refugee Service (WERS) founded?
West End Refugee Service (WERS) was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is West End Refugee Service (WERS) based?
West End Refugee Service (WERS) is headquartered in Newcastle, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does West End Refugee Service (WERS) make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are charitable Grants and Foundation Funding and corporate Partnerships.
Who are West End Refugee Service (WERS)'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are City of Sanctuary, Refugee Action, Migrant Help and Asylum Matters. Broad incumbents are British Red Cross (Refugee Services) and Refugee Council. Regional players are Haref (Connected Voice), Scottish Refugee Council and North of England Refugee Service (NERS). Musicians Without Borders is listed as an others.
Does West End Refugee Service (WERS) have an API?
No public API is recorded for West End Refugee Service (WERS).
What industry is West End Refugee Service (WERS) in?
West End Refugee Service (WERS)'s product category is Refugee and Asylum Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAH, Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support, with a secondary code of BPADAHAI, Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment). Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.