Where it all started 

Starting with a handful of staff and volunteers working out of a shoebox office in Edinburgh, Scottish Refugee Council was formed on 31 July 1985. The charity was set up in response to the growing need to support people fleeing the humanitarian crisis in Vietnam.  

As Scotland opened its doors to people seeking protection from persecution and violent conflicts all over the world, our organisation grew quickly. In the first few years, we supported hundreds of people displaced from Bosnia and Kosovo.  

In 1999, when Glasgow signed up to the UK dispersal scheme to welcome people seeking asylum from all over the world, we moved our headquarters to Scotland’s biggest city. During this time, we worked with people seeking protection from Iran and Iraq, Somalia, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and many other parts of the world. 

Read more about the past 40 years of refugees in Scotland.

Since then, we have helped people fleeing the war in Syria, the invasion of Ukraine, ongoing conflicts in Sudan, violently repressive regimes such as Iran and Eritrea, the collapse of government in Afghanistan, and many other countries where human rights violations are commonplace. 

Today we operate Scotland-wide. Our head office remains in Glasgow, but our team of staff and volunteers offer advice and support to refugees, wherever in Scotland they are based, and connect communities all over the country. 

The last four decades have seen major changes in Scotland as refugee communities from so many different backgrounds have arrived and settled here, raising families, opening businesses, bringing new languages and cultural riches and making Scotland a more diverse and dynamic place. 

While we welcome and celebrate this, it is always with the awareness that people have been forced to seek safety here as a result of violence and instability at home, and that this comes with a huge legacy of trauma and loss.

Looking ahead, we hope for a future where we are needed much less than we are now. Until that time comes, we will continue working to build a welcoming society that helps refugees in Scotland – and we hope you will join us in supporting this vital work. 

Refugee Festival Scotland 

We’re not the only ones marking a big birthday. Refugee Festival Scotland, our annual celebration of art, culture and community, turned 25 in June! Fittingly, this year’s Festival theme was milestones.  

Between 13 and 22 June, more than 150 events took place in communities across, Scotland from Aberdeen and Orkney to Ayrshire and Dumfries.

You can find out more about Refugee Festival 2025 and catch up on some of the highlights here. 

Support us

Without the generosity of supporters across Scotland and beyond, our work would not be possible. Whether you've run a marathon (or a 5K) in our name, laughed with us at one of our No Borders comedy nights, or answered a call for donations, your generosity keeps us going and growing.  

There are so many ways to support our life changing work, from setting up a monthly donation, taking on a sponsored challenge or holding a fundraising coffee morning to picking up a piece of eye-catching Aye Welcome Refugees merch. Find out more. 

Our history

Read our timeline to find out more about our work and the history of refugees in Scotland over the past 40 years.

Have your own memories or stories about Scottish Refugee Council? Add them to our digital scrapbook.