What a fantastic journey it has been! At Salford Community Upskilling, we are absolutely thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of our very first round of the Refugee Welcome Programme.

Over the past two months, we have had the absolute privilege of exploring various topics surrounding life in Salford with an incredible group of individuals. Together, we learned new vocabulary and expressions, and took deep dives into how to practically navigate and access essential services across Salford and Greater Manchester.

Some of the key topics we covered included:

• Health and Wellbeing: We looked at the proud history of the NHS and learned how to access Primary Care services, including pharmacies and local GPs.
• Everyday Life: We held practical discussions on managing the cost of living, alongside many other day-to-day subjects.

The progress we have witnessed has been nothing short of inspiring. Step by step, our learners are building genuine confidence in expressing themselves in English, all within a friendly, warm, and highly supportive environment.

To celebrate their hard work, we recently held a presentation to award certificates—and a few beautiful bouquets of flowers!—to learners who showed outstanding consistency and dedication all the way through the two months of teaching and learning. It was a joy to see so many proud, smiling faces.

What’s Next?
If you or someone you know missed out this time, don’t worry! We are already looking forward to our next programme, which will be starting this April. We will be running classes tailored for both beginner and intermediate levels.

In the meantime, we would like to wish a very Happy Easter to everyone who celebrates it!

A Massive Thank You
Community is at the heart of everything we do, and this programme’s success is a shared victory. A heartfelt thank you goes out to our wonderful volunteers, who dedicate their time and energy to help us break down language and digital barriers in our community.

We also want to extend our deepest gratitude to our incredible sponsors and partners. Your ongoing support is what enables us to provide these life-changing opportunities. Thank you to:

• Salford ESOL
• Salford City Council
• GM Refugee Welcome Programme
• UK Government
• Salford Loaves and Fishes
• Forever Manchester
• Good Things Foundation
• Asda Foundation
• Postcode Lottery UK
• Sported
• The National Lottery Community Fund
• Pendleton Together

Thank you all for believing in our mission and supporting our learners!