We help refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants register with a GP, navigate the NHS, and access the care they are entitled to — in their language. Free, community-led, volunteer-run since 2022.
Everything below was achieved entirely on a voluntary basis before any formal funding. This is what is possible with one dedicated team and a community that trusts us.
Individuals supported with healthcare navigation
Successful GP registrations completed
People receiving ongoing navigation support
Interpreter accompaniments to medical appointments
People in our Telegram and WhatsApp community — a trusted network of Russian-speaking refugees and migrants in the UK, active since December 2022.
“I had been in the UK for eight months. I didn’t know I could just walk into a GP surgery and register. Nobody told me. StartNewLife called me, explained everything in Russian, and went with me the next day.”
“I was scared to go to the doctor because I thought they would ask about my visa. StartNewLife explained that this is not how it works in the UK. They came with me and I finally got the care I needed.”
Beneficiaries reach us via WhatsApp or Telegram in Russian, Tajik, or Dari. No forms, no appointments.
We ask a few questions to understand what help is needed and where the person is located.
We identify the nearest GP surgery, assist with registration, and prepare documents in their language.
We provide continued navigation, appointment support, and interpreter accompaniment as needed.
We don’t build technology for its own sake — we build tools that make our healthcare navigation more accessible, scalable, and available 24/7.
Our multilingual information hub. 17 topics × 7 languages = 119 pages covering GP registration, asylum process, housing, work rights, education, travel documents, sexual health. Accessible 24/7, no login required.
Visit startnewlife.uk →AI assistant born from the Mayor of London’s Poverty Prevention Challenge 2023 (£48K GLA grant). Being relaunched as a Telegram bot inside our 2,000+ community. Answers questions about healthcare, asylum, housing in Russian, Tajik, and Dari. Voice message support planned for users with low digital literacy.
Learn more at sibot.uk →Browser-based version on sibot.uk for partners and funders to see the technology in action.
We have a proven track record, a trusted community network, and a clear operational model. Grant funding will allow us to scale what already works.
47 individuals already supported entirely voluntarily — before any formal funding. A community of 2,000+ with demonstrated trust since December 2022.
Russian, Tajik, and Dari speakers are largely invisible to mainstream health services. We are one of very few organisations providing culturally appropriate healthcare navigation.
£5,000 covers 12 months of programme delivery — 100 GP registrations, 50 ongoing support cases, 20 interpreter accompaniments. Under £50 per beneficiary.
Registered CIC with two directors, ICO registration, DBS checks, professional insurance, and signed volunteer agreements. Accounts filed with Companies House.
We track every beneficiary: GP registration confirmed, appointments booked, interpreter trips completed. Clear reporting against agreed targets.
Our digital infrastructure is built and operational. startnewlife.uk serves 119 pages in 7 languages. SiBot AI is being relaunched. Funding scales the programme — not the technology.
Operating from Tower Hamlets — one of London’s most deprived boroughs. Aligned with NHS and local authority health equity priorities.
How a National Lottery Awards for All grant would be deployed over 12 months
Interested in funding or partnering with StartNewLife?
Contact Us →StartNewLife is a programme of Mendee CIC — a Community Interest Company registered in England and Wales (No. 15445605). Both directors have lived migration experience and understand first-hand what it means to navigate an unfamiliar healthcare system in a foreign language.
We have been supporting Russian-speaking migrants and refugees through our community networks since December 2022 — entirely on a voluntary basis. Our community of over 2,000 people on Telegram and WhatsApp is built on trust and personal recommendation.
We welcome enquiries from grantmakers, local authorities, NHS trusts, and partner organisations working in refugee health and social inclusion.
↗ Visit our community resource site — startnewlife.uk