Born from War. Reborn Through Community. (1997)
Nearly three decades of community‑led change.
Our story begins in 1997 in Willesden Green, London, where families fleeing the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina arrived in search of safety and stability. When government‑funded support ended, survivors of war and genocide suddenly faced isolation, poverty and the overwhelming challenge of rebuilding their lives alone.
Refusing to let their community fall into despair, a small group of Bosnian war survivors came together to support one another. From a single room inside St Andrew’s Church — supported initially by Trust for London — they founded the Bosnia and Herzegovina Community Advice Centre (BHCAC): a lifeline built by survivors, for survivors.
Their mission was clear: to help people rebuild their lives with dignity, hope and stability.
A Holistic Approach Shaped by Lived Experience
From the beginning, BHCAC recognised that survivors of war needed more than paperwork support — they needed empathy, cultural understanding and trauma‑aware guidance.
To meet these needs, the organisation introduced in‑house legal specialists and mental‑health practitioners, offering crucial help to people navigating complex welfare issues, emotional trauma and social exclusion.
This commitment to holistic, person‑centred, culturally informed support became the foundation of our work — and continues to guide us today.
Resilience in Action
Throughout the 1990s, many Bosnian refugees arrived in London with little English, few resources and deep emotional scars. Instead of waiting for help, they built it themselves — creating networks of solidarity, cultural preservation and collective strength.
BHCAC grew from these roots of resilience. Over time, we became a vital bridge between the Bosnian community and wider British society, supporting recovery, confidence, belonging and long‑term integration.
Today, that founding ethos continues to guide our mission as we support all of Brent’s diverse communities — helping people move from crisis to stability, from isolation to connection, and from trauma to independence.
Expanding Our Reach: Serving Brent and Beyond
2008 — Breaking Language Barriers
As demand for Serbo‑Croat language support grew across London, BHCAC expanded our services to refugees and migrants from the wider Western Balkan region — Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia — while continuing to preserve our distinct Bosnian identity and cultural heritage.
2018 — Supporting All of Brent
The rollout of Universal Credit exposed borough‑wide inequalities and gaps in welfare advice. In response, BHCAC launched outreach services in Harlesden and Willesden Green Libraries, ensuring that people from every background could access free, expert advice within their own communities.
Today — A Trusted Lifeline Across Boroughs
While most of the people we support live in Brent, many travel from neighbouring boroughs — including Hammersmith & Fulham, Barnet, Hounslow and Lambeth — drawn to our trusted reputation, cultural understanding and multilingual services.
This regional reach reflects both our inclusive approach and the gap in specialist, culturally sensitive support elsewhere.
A Lifeline for People Facing the Highest Barriers
In the year ending March 2025, BHCAC supported 957 individuals, each facing a unique combination of challenges — poverty, poor health, trauma, unemployment, caring responsibilities or limited English‑language ability.
We serve people from a remarkably wide range of ethnic, cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
In 2024–25, the overwhelming majority of those we supported were from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic communities — groups who often face systemic barriers, language difficulties and digital exclusion when seeking help.
Many of the people who turn to us are living with disabilities or caring for someone with additional needs. Others are out of work due to poor health or caring responsibilities, and those with limited English face daily obstacles navigating essential services.
Our multilingual, culturally aware, trauma‑informed team ensures they receive the advocacy, understanding and stability they need to move forward.
Behind every case is a story of resilience.
Our role is to stand beside people during their most difficult moments — offering a safe, trusted place where they can regain control of their lives.
Our Legacy
Our Legacy of Courage — And the Future We’re Building Together
Nearly three decades after its founding, BHCAC stands as a testament to the power of community‑led recovery. Born from war, trauma and displacement, we have helped tens of thousands of people move from uncertainty to independence.
Our legacy is built on:
- Courage — choosing hope in the face of devastation
- Compassion — meeting people where they are
- Community‑led change — building solutions shaped by lived experience
As new challenges emerge — from rising poverty to digital exclusion and housing insecurity — our mission remains unshakeable: to ensure no one is left behind, and everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Our story is not only about where we came from — it is about the future we are building together: a stronger, fairer and more inclusive society for all.