Refugee Café: Where Hospitality Changes Lives

Sharing Food, Friendship, and Hope with Refugees in Upper Norwood

Refugee Café at St John’s Upper Norwood offers a warm, supportive space for refugees and asylum seekers. Volunteers provide snacks, essentials, advice, and community twice a month.
Join Refugee Café in Upper Norwood, where refugees and asylum seekers find friendship, support, and essential items. Run by St John’s volunteers, it’s a place of care and dignity.
Refugee Café at St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood, creates a welcoming community for refugee families, offering food, clothing, advice, and connection through volunteer-led support.

Refugee Café is a welcoming space in Upper Norwood where refugees and asylum seekers can access support, essential items, and a warm sense of community.

Run by volunteers from St John’s, Upper Norwood, we meet twice a month to share snacks, advice, and friendship. We also distribute food, clothing, and other essentials to refugee families, primarily mothers with young children, who are currently housed at Queen’s Hotel on Church Road.

The café creates a space where real conversations happen, needs are met, and dignity is restored; all through simple acts of care.

Our Story:
How Refugee Café Began

Refugee Café began in March 2022, sparked by conversations with All Saints Primary School, where many refugee children are students.

Families living at Queen’s Hotel often face cramped living conditions, limited space for children to play, and few cooking facilities. The café was created in response to these challenges; providing practical help, emotional support, and a compassionate community rooted in the Christian principle of loving your neighbour.

Today, Refugee Café offers more than just essential items — it offers belonging, respect, and well-being. Our services have grown to include:

  • Food and essentials distribution

  • English language classes

  • Fitness and art workshops

  • Health check-ups and spiritual care

  • Haircuts and personal grooming support to promote dignity and wellnes

How You Can Support Refugee Café

There are several meaningful ways you can help:

✅ Donate Essential Items

Please drop off items on your left as you enter St John’s, Upper Norwood
🕘 Open: 8.45 AM – 5:30 PM daily

We urgently need:

  • Pushchairs & large suitcases (in good condition)

  • Clothes and shoes (adult & child)

  • Toiletries (adult & child)

  • Children’s bikes & scooters

  • Adult bikes

  • School supplies

  • Kitchenware (pots, pans, cutlery)

  • Mobile phones, irons

Also appreciated:
Basmati rice, red lentils, split peas, white beans, and oil

🙋‍♀️ Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers play a vital role, from sorting donations to offering friendship. Please get in touch if you’d like to volunteer with us.

💸 Make a Financial Donation

Every donation helps us provide practical assistance where it’s most needed:

 FAQs

  • We meet twice a month, but dates are kept private for safety. Contact Danny for the next scheduled café.

  • We connect with guests, listen to their needs, share snacks, and provide essentials. It’s a space of mutual respect and genuine community.

  • Led by Danny Simpson, our Pastoral Auxiliary, with volunteers from St John’s, Upper Norwood.

  • About 25 mothers and their young children, all from diverse international backgrounds, currently residing at Queen’s Hotel.

  • Yes! English classes, art and exercise sessions, and occasional health services are offered at St John’s. Everyone is welcome at our church services and community events.

 

❤️ Be Part of the Story

Refugee Café in Upper Norwood is a lifeline for many. Whether you donate items, give financially, or simply spread the word, you help create a stronger, more welcoming community.

👉 Make a Donation
👉 Contact Us for Info or Drop-Off Details

Have more questions? We’re happy to help!
📧 Email: office@sjun.org.uk
📞 Phone: 020 8771 6686