Refugees are often separated from their loved ones for years after fleeing war or persecution. Together Now was set up in 2010 to fund travel for UK refugees’ families – be that a child, a husband or a wife – for those refugees who cannot afford it. This allows them to exercise their right to be reunited with their family under UK law, so they can live together in safety.
Our service makes a huge different to our clients and their families lives. Before they are reunited, families are often living in challenging circumstances – in countries where they can’t access appropriate medical care, where schools aren’t open or where their lives are at threat. Sometimes, children have been separated from their parents and are living with elderly grandparents or with neighbours.
Being reunited with their family allows refugees to make a new life in the UK and often helps their recovery from the psychological and emotional trauma they’ve suffered.
Together Now is run entirely by volunteers and we spend 100% of our funds on reuniting refugees with their loved ones.
“Despite the challenges of re-building, the improvement in the mental health of survivors whose families are brought to safety is profound. Survivors report a lessening of anxiety and they describe feeling calmer with less nightmares about their family’s safety.” Statement from a therapist working with torture survivors.
Our success so far and our ambition for the future
Since 2010, we have helped bring husbands and wives, parents and children and sisters and brothers back together. Our ambition is to have reunited 200 refugee families by 2020.
You can keep up to date with our ongoing work by following our news and our stories.
We have four main programmes of work: