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Manchester > advice & services
Our Manchester team provides a high quality and high volume screening and advice service for asylum-seekers. Our services cover eleven Local Authorities with significant numbers of asylum seekers and refugees: Manchester, Oldham, Salford, Bolton, Rochdale, Bury, Blackburn with Darwen, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan.
The largest numbers of refugees live in Manchester and the largest number of dispersed asylum seekers reside in Manchester, Salford, Oldham and Bolton. Last year our One Stop Shop service gave advice to around 700 people a month.
Advice and screening sessions operate on a drop-in basis.
We also maintain a list of good quality screened interpreters to back up the considerable language skills of staff and volunteers.
NEW ADDRESS AND CONTACT DETAILS FROM MONDAY 13 JULY:
Refugee Action, 23-37 Edge Street, Manchester M4 1HW (map)
All personal telephone numbers will change:
Main Switchboard: 0161 831 5420
Clientline: 0800 917 2719 (no change)
Fax (Casework): 0161 831 5496
Fax (Admin): 0161 834 7715
Changes to asylum advice drop-in
There is now a drop in service (no appointment needed) every Monday and Thursday from 9.30. The service can be extremely busy on these days so waiting times can be long but where possible everyone will be seen. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays clients will only be seen if they have an appointment.
Choices
We also provide a confidential service offering information, advice and support to asylum seekers and refugees who are considering voluntary return through our Choices project. Please call our Choices team to make an appointment or for more information:
Free number for asylum seekers and refugees: 0800 917 2719
Tel: 0161 831 5442 or 0161 831 5443
Gateway Protection Programme
A team of resettlement workers from Refugee Action in Bolton is supporting refugees who are being offered protection as part of a United Nations international resettlement programme.
The men, women and children from Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo came in November 2004 to start a new life in Bolton after living in refugee camps for years.
Telephone advice
Free phone number: 0800 917 2719.
Client and agencies can call this number and leave their name and contact details and someone from the team will try to call them back that day or the following working day.
We also offer an advice line for agencies working with asylum seekers and refugees who need advice on behalf of their clients.