Who we are
An introduction to Boaz: our history, vision, mission and our values.
The Boaz Trust was founded by Dave Smith in 2004 (and officially registered as a charity in 2005), as an outworking of his Christian faith. The aim was to address the needs of the growing numbers of people facing destitution in Greater Manchester whose asylum cases had been refused and who had nowhere to turn for help.
Vision and mission
Our Vision is that people who seek safety in the UK are welcomed here and are free to live life in all its fullness.
Our Mission is:
- to provide accommodation and support for people seeking sanctuary in Greater Manchester and the surrounding areas.
- to use what we learn through our work to challenge and change the unjust systems that cause destitution, both locally and nationally.
Our Organisational Values
These 6 values inform how we work as an organisation:
- Christ-centred: rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ, we seek to serve those who society sees as the least, the last and the lost.
- Committed to excellence: we strive for professional excellence with integrity in all our working practices.
- Empowering others: we want to see the people we work with, including clients, volunteers, staff and supporters, equipped to discover meaning and purpose in their lives.
- Restless for justice: we shine a light on injustice, especially where people seeking sanctuary are treated unfairly and we will fight to see change happen.
- Servant-hearted: we adopt an attitude of service within the organisation and beyond, putting the needs of others before our own.
- Generous: we extend a welcome to all those we meet, sharing hospitality, kindness and love, and treating everyone with dignity, regardless of their background.
Where does the name come from?
The charity’s name is taken from the book of Ruth, in the Bible. A man called Boaz welcomes Ruth, who is a foreigner in the land, and shows her kindness.
The Boaz Trust works to do the same – offering accommodation and support to people who are seeking sanctuary in Greater Manchester.
19 years of serving those seeking sanctuary
Over the last 19 years, our accommodation provision has included shared houses, emergency winter night shelters for men and women, and a hosting scheme. Alongside accommodation, we offer holistic, person-centred and trauma informed support to people who have had their asylum claims refused and those who have been granted refugee status. Through our new Floating Support work, we are also able to work with others who have become homeless because of their insecure immigration status, outside the asylum process.
Our support team works with people who are facing homelessness because of their immigration status, helping them to move on to more stable accommodation wherever possible, finding a positive resolution to the situation that made them homeless in the first place. We ensure people are able to meet their basic needs, and have access to medical care and legal advice.
We speak up with and for people seeking asylum and refugees, and advocate for their rights. We are passionate about working to create a just and compassionate asylum system.
Read more about our work
You can find our most recent trustees annual report and accounts on the Charity Commission website here.
Alternatively, you can download a copy of our latest Supporter Review magazine below. This publication includes updates, news and stories from the past financial year. We hope that it offers some helpful and inspiring insights into the work that we do, as well as providing you with ways you can get involved and take action.