Bolton DP Destitution Project
Seeking to provide a safe environment where Refugees and Asylum Seekers can find friendship, food and practical help.
Helping to create new futures for Bolton’s asylum seekers and refugees…
The Wednesday Drop-in is closed tomorrow (July 22nd 2026) for the team's annual holiday break.
The Drop-in reopened on Wednesday, July 29th at 10am.
Due to a severe shortage of storage space, at the moment DP is unable to accept donations of clothing and household goods.
For further information and updates on the situation please contact us at info@boltondp.org Please note this does not apply to food and toiletries. We are still accepting donations of toiletries and non-perishable food. The Food Team can advise what we are most in need of. We are very grateful for all your support and will advise when we are able to accept donations once more.Suliman, a former service user and volunteer:
“What brought me to DP? I wanted to help people because I always want to help people. As a service user I got a lot of support from DP. I went to many places with DP members; I got help with food sometimes and even some clothes. As a volunteer I was doing different activities, like cleaning, arranging tables before people came into the Drop-in, giving out food parcels to the people who came there and helped with distribution of clothes.
Majid (name changed to protect his identity), a DP service user from Afghanistan, had been accessing DP for more than a year
He fled the Taliban, has lost family members and is trying to search for other family members still in Afghanistan. This has left him with trauma. Whilst sitting in a local park he was stabbed and now has a deep scar on his left shoulder.
Camella fled Syria with her 3 sons during the civil war.
She described her arrival at DP: 'On my first visit, I met a man who was cleaning the floor. He heard my footsteps, lifted his head and said “How can I help you?” I cried because I could not understand him. He gently brought a chair for me and asked me to sit down. I attended English classes at DP every Wednesday for a year. My English improved and they also signposted me to Bolton college for ESOL classes.
To run its weekly Drop-In for asylum seekers and refugees and provide casework support, the Destitution Project relies heavily on the help and dedication of its volunteers.
Because we are a thriving organisation with much work to be done, we are looking for volunteers who are able to give us at least one day per week for a minimum of 6 months. If you are recently retired, part-time employed or otherwise able to give us this level of commitment, we would love to hear from you!
You can email us at: info@boltondp.org and send us a CV or details on your relevant experience and availability. We will then arrange for you to visit the Drop-In on a Wednesday so that you can have a guided tour and we can explain a bit more about what volunteering with us will involve.
Particular skills we are currently looking for are:
General admin skills and experience: You will need to be able to come in on different days (e.g. on Wednesdays and Fridays) when needed. We will work with you to find times that suit both you and the team.
IT and computer skills: we often need help on a Wednesdays (9.00am - 3.00pm) and sometimes on other occasions when needed.
DP Reception Team: you will need to be able to come in from 9.00am to 3.30 pm each Wednesday and help with the sign-in system, welcoming service users and visitors and managing access to the Drop-In.
Drop in Team: you will need to be able to come in from 9am- 3.00pm on Wednesdays. It may involve General Hall Duties including the setting up and putting away of furniture and games equipment or supporting in the Food or Clothes Room with managing stock and assisting our Service Users. You will need to be able to work well as part of a team.
English Teaching: to teach English at a basic or intermediate level in small groups on a Wednesday each week. No formal qualifications required but some background in English teaching/education may be helpful.
Thank you for considering volunteering with us!
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A web based content management and communication system allows official aid organizations to manage and update their services and to get their critical aid to where it is most urgently needed.
