Reset supporting refugees in Edinburgh
A warm welcome, the Scottish way – powered by people like us.
In a quiet corner of Fountainbridge, one Edinburgh family is thriving — going to school, making friends, playing football in the park. Just a few years ago, they arrived in the UK through the Community Sponsorship scheme, a national programme that empowers local people to take the lead in resettling refugees.
Now, the grassroots group that welcomed them, Edinburgh Refugee Sponsorship Circle, is breaking new ground again. Faced with the news that the family's rented flat was being sold, the group decided not to let instability undo years of community-building. Instead, they've launched a radical new housing project — purchasing the property themselves through a community-led trust, ensuring the family can stay rooted in the neighbourhood they now call home.
'We knew what losing that flat would mean for the family — and we were really motivated to create an alternative path, not just for them, but hopefully for others too,' says Fae, one of ERSC's founding volunteers.
Community Sponsorship is a UK-wide scheme that enables everyday people — faith groups, book clubs, neighbours, colleagues — to come together and welcome a refugee family to their area. With support from Reset the UK's national charity for Community Sponsorship, groups like ERSC receive training, guidance and peer support to walk alongside families as they rebuild their lives.
ERSC's model is particularly inspiring because it shows what's possible when ordinary people take bold, practical steps — even in the middle of a housing emergency. They remain entirely volunteer-run, powered by shared values and a belief that welcome should last longer than a warm hello at the airport.
Now they're inviting others to get involved. Whether you want to join or form a sponsorship group, contribute to their housing trust, or simply learn more, ERSC is showing Edinburgh what solidarity looks like in action.
Because welcome isn't abstract. It's about homes, schools, neighbours — and people like you.
➡ Learn more or support the project: www.refugeesponsorshipcircle.org/projects-3
➡ Interested in Community Sponsorship? We've just launched a new online introduction – find out more https://training.resetuk.org/course/introduction-to-community-sponsorship
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