About Us

What is SARI?

We’re a charitable organisation that’s here to support victims of hate within our community.  We also aim to promote equality and good relations between people with protected characteristics, as defined by law. 

Most of our people have some direct experience of facing hate-motivated behaviour. We all have a clear understanding of what SARI is trying to achieve. Our Board of Trustees is responsible for approving SARI’s working policies and procedures. Most of them also have personal experience of hate crime and inequality.

Our employees are mostly engaged in casework, supporting victims of hate crime. But they also work with children, young people and schools and other education establishments, providing support to pupils facing racist and other hate incidents. We also deliver anti-hate, equality, diversity and inclusion, and cultural awareness sessions to pupils, staff and governors. Our work also extends to young offenders.

Our Vision, Values, and Objects

Our Vision

Our vision is that all people are free from attack due to their personal characteristics, and that they have equality of opportunity and outcomes.

Our Values

We have four core values which underpin how we work as an organisation and as individuals:

Honesty

We communicate openly and clearly and take responsibility for both successes and challenges through teaching, learning, and improving. We are transparent and accountable to our colleagues, clients, partners, communities, and funders.

Empowerment

We believe individuals and communities are a force for positive change, individually and in collaboration. We are community-led, person-centred and ambitious whilst empowering and driving ourselves, and others, to make things happen.

Autonomous

We are an independent charity, rooted in the communities we serve. We use our voice and influence to challenge and inspire systemic change in public and private services, communities, public policy, and people’s attitudes.

Difference

We are proud and respectful of our diversity and united by a common cause to challenge inequality and hate crime. We value, respect, and support each other and our partners and stakeholders, and work without prejudice.

Our Objects

The charity’s objects (‘Objects’) are specifically restricted to the following:

• To work towards the elimination of racism and inequalities for people with protected characteristics as defined in law;
• to promote equality of opportunity for those with protected characteristics and to foster good relations between those with protected characteristics and the general population;
• to advance the education of the public in the causes and effects of racism and inequalities towards those with protected characteristics; and
• to promote for the public benefit the relief and treatment of any physical, mental or emotional distress suffered by any person as a result of that person or a member of her or his family having suffered inequalities on the grounds of one or more protected characteristics.

Our history

Before the formation of SARI, the victims of racism in Bristol received no coordinated response or specialist support from agencies. In 1988, a steering group was set up. Bristol Racial Equality Council, United Housing Association and the Inner City Mental Health Team began working in consultation with victims of racial harassment and community leaders.

A management committee was formed to secure funding, and with the support of a Home Office Safer Cities Grant, SARI was established, becoming fully operational in 1991. Then, it employed a full-time project manager and caseworker as well as a part-time administrator. In that first year, 44 cases were referred to us.

SARI was largely the vision of Black and Minority Ethnic housing provider United Housing Association and its first chair Sohail Elahi. He carried out that role from 1991-1996 after being heavily involved with the rest of the steering group and the pioneering work that led to the creation of SARI.

Whilst Sohail is no longer directly involved with SARI, he remains very involved in our work. He’s extremely proud to see what his vision has become, and the great work that SARI continues to do. Sohail says his work with SARI is one of his greatest achievements and is honoured to be recognised as one of the founding fathers of this organisation.