Community Group of the Year nomination – Asha North Staffordshire

Community Group of the Year nomination – Asha North Staffordshire

His own heartbreaking experiences as an asylum seeker led Godefroid Seminega to start a community group in Stoke-on-Trent which has grown into a charity that works with more than 400 asylum seekers and refugees a week.

Godefroid, now aged 59, had to leave his medical career when he fled from Rwanda in 2002. He eventually settled in Stoke-on-Trent where he founded Asha North Staffordshire, a group-based support service for asylum seekers and refugees.

He is now the CEO for the Hanley Business Park based organisation that has two full-time and seven part-time staff.

Since 2005 the charity has helped more than 900 people each year from almost 50 different countries who were seeking refuge from persecution. It provides advice, clothing, food and education.

From legal advice to mental wellbeing, Asha North Staffordshire’s services provide the holistic support and guidance people need to leave crisis behind and begin to live safely.

They also host events and activities including a free lunch club, a mothers group, football get-togethers, a trip to Llandudno for 300 people and a Galaxy Club for 16 to 24-year-olds living in social care.

Godefroid said: “I found myself destitute on the streets of London, begging for money to get a bus pass to go and see my immigration associate.

“I experienced myself how difficult the process could be and so when I came to Stoke-on-Trent I really wanted to set up an organisation that could help others in the same situation.

“I’m really proud of what we do. We not only want to help asylum seekers and refugees but to change perceptions about them too.

“We are open Monday to Saturday every week and as well as our employed staff, we have more than 80 volunteers. Many of these are refugees and asylum seekers themselves and they do some fantastic work in the community such as litter picking and planting flowers.

“We are now looking to expand what we do into East Cheshire and South Staffordshire”

Asha North Staffordshire has been nominated in the Community Group of the Year category of the Your Heroes Awards 2025.