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Welcome to RESIDENTS WITHOUT BORDERS
We believe that every individual should be treated with dignity and respect and given equitable access to services in their communities.
Our Story
Residents Without Borders has existed since November 2024 and was founded by Shamim Noronha, who has over 20 years of experience working in the statutory and non-statutory sectors. We are a registered charity, Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). We are community-led, London-wide and surrounding counties charity with registered office in the London Borough of Islington, run by residents and professionals with lived experience.
Our brand of service delivery is that we are a community-led charity dedicated to alleviating poverty, promoting multiculturalism and social cohesion. We are a community service that serves its communities. All our trustees and volunteers live in the boroughs that we serve, and we all have lived experience and extensive professional experience. Therefore, we have a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the existing services that serve the communities well, and those services that are overwhelmed and failing the residents. Our strength is that we are a charity that provides a wide range of services that empowers individuals and their communities.
Who are we?
We are a charity that provides a wide range of services to London residents of all ages, tackling challenges and inequalities faced by those living in poverty and those who are socially isolated and marginalised. We are dedicated to building stronger, more resilient, and connected communities, alleviating poverty, promoting multiculturalism, social cohesion, and inclusion. We provide information, advice, events/activities, and support to London residents of all ages, particularly those living in poverty, vulnerable families, vulnerable adults, the elderly, vulnerable young people, vulnerable children, single parents and their children, refugees, asylum seekers, and the homeless. We campaign to bring about new changes and improvements for London residents living in highly deprived conditions. We are a Charity and also a Movement, bringing in a new way of thinking about what it means to be treated as human, without being burdened with the limitations of labels such as 'Lived Experience' or 'Disabled' or 'Survivor' or reduced to the definition of 'Race' or 'Ethnicity' or 'Sexual Orientation' or 'Gender' or 'Age'. As humans we exceed all labels and each person has infinite potential.
Mayor of Islington Cllr Jason Jackson at a Residents Without Borders' event
His Worship Mayor of Islington, Cllr Jason Jackson, opens the Residents Without Borders, Community Voices – Lived Experience Peer Event on 29th May 2025, and takes time to talk with residents, guest speakers and also seen in the photo with Islington Cllr Saiqa Pandor (Women and Girls Champion). Mayor Jason Jackson is the first Nigerian-born Mayor of Islington since the borough's establishment in 1900. Before becoming Mayor, he was the borough's youngest Labour councillor at age 22 in 2018.
At Residents Without Borders, we are committed to providing work to young people
Daniel Sikpi, meeting the Mayor of Islington, Cllr Jason Jackson. Daniel, a talented young person taking a gap year before going to university, has spent his time since November 2024 offering his services as a photographer to Residents Without Borders. He is part of MyPocketSkill, a community of 120,000 young users who are building their skills while earning money. See website: https://www.mypocketskill.com/for-young-people/
Jeremy Corbyn MP supporting his local community in Islington
The Right Honourable Jeremy Corbyn, Member of Parliament, was our special guest speaker at our Community Voices – Lived Experience Peer Event on 29th May 2025. He also took the time to speak one-on-one with the residents of Islington. Jeremy Corbyn has been a Member of Parliament for Islington North in London since 1983.
Peabody’s commitment to delivering new homes in the London Borough of Islington
Peabody Trust gave an informative presentation and also addressed residents' concerns at our Community Voices – Lived Experience Peer Event on 29th May 2025, which was attended by around 250 residents from various boroughs. Peabody's Islington partners, Help On Your Doorstep and Islington Giving also joined them. The event was highly successful. The Peabody Holloway Park Housing Development offers a unique opportunity to build a thriving new neighbourhood on a 10-acre site in central London. Islington Council granted planning permission in 2022 for the redevelopment of Holloway Prison into 985 new homes (60% being affordable), a public park, an onsite classroom and skills hub, a Women’s Building, and new shops and workspaces along Parkhurst Road. In addition to new homes, the development supports training and creates new job opportunities, promoting the growth of the surrounding area and local community. This is a significant housing development in Islington in over 30 years. See website: https://www.peabody.org.uk/your-community/regeneration/holloway-park/
Exciting News: We Got Our Charity Registration!
Residents Without Borders become a registered charity as of 1st August 2025. The Charity Commission issued a certificate of registration to Residents Without Borders as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in England & Wales. Residents Without Borders is committed to providing a wide range of services to children, young people, families and adults who are socially and economically disadvantaged in England.
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CIVIC AND BEN KINSELLA AWARDS EVENING
Shamim Noronha (sitting in the middle - Founder and Chair of Residents Without Borders), Rose-Marie McDonald (Trustee), and Anthony McDonald (Rose's son and carer), at the Islington Mayor’s Civic and Ben Kinsella Awards Evening held in March 2025. Shamim was a runner-up for the Mayor’s Civic Award, recognising her work for setting up Residents Without Borders and inspiring others to get involved in the local community.
SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY
Since November 2024, Shamim has organised events, including monthly peer meetings for information exchange, and providing hot meals for over 200 attendees each month. Her focus on supporting underprivileged families and promoting multiculturalism has positively impacted countless people and fostered community connections.
Residents Without Borders in partnership with Sadler's Well: Get Into Dance
Are you a resident of Islington who has never seen a show at Sadler’s Wells? If so, then Sadler's Wells want you to get more out of them with Get Into Dance, a community programme that invites people from the local area to experience dance. From hip hop to tango and ballet to circus, all year round, they present dance in every style across three theatres. If you’re a registered member of Residents Without Borders, a partner organisation with Sadler's Wells, you can be referred to join the scheme and book £3 tickets for Sadler's Wells performances. Tickets are limited, and capped at four tickets per person per booking.
For more information contact Residents Without Borders
Infoline: 020 8148 8284.
Email: info@residentswithoutborders.org
Also, visit Sadler's Wells website: https://www.sadlerswells.com/
Dr Grace Spence Green
Grace Spence Green is an activist doctor who sustained a life-changing injury which has meant she now uses a wheelchair. She is aiming to change the disability narrative in mainstream media. In the months of rehabilitation which followed her life-changing injury Grace learned that she didn’t have to fit into the small and narrowly defined box into which society so often places disabled people. Grace has written for the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and the Guardian and has appeared on ITV, BBC (radio and television), Sky news, and her recent This Morning interview had over 700,000 views. For more information visit Curtis Brown website: https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/grace-spence-green
