City of Sanctuary is a movement to build a culture of hospitality for people seeking sanctuary in the UK. Find out how towns and cities around the UK are becoming recognised as places of safety and welcome.
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City of Sanctuary near you?
The City of Sanctuary movement is growing rapidly in towns and cities across the UK. Is there a group near you?
Upcoming Events
September, 2014
Tuesday, 2nd: Sanctuary in Parliament —
Saturday, 13th: City of Sanctuary Dublin Launch — City of Sanctuary Dublin
January, 2015
Friday, 23rd: Seminar: Activism In and Around Detention —
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Featured Blogs
National News
New Guides issued for groups and individuals who want to contribute to the Detention Inquiry
(12 Aug 2014) The first ever Parliamentary inquiry into detention was launched on 7th July 2014. The inquiry is jointly led by the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Refugees and Migration, and marks the first dedicated Parliamentary inquiry into the... read more (New Guides issued for groups and individuals who want to contribute to the Detention Inquiry) »
Home Office will not increase asylum support payments
(12 Aug 2014) The Home Office has completed its review of asylum support rates following the High Court judgment of 9 April 2014 which ruled that the decision to freeze rates was flawed. The Home office has concluded that the current cash payments... read more (Home Office will not increase asylum support payments) »
What’s happening around the country?
These are the latest stories from City of Sanctuary movements and streams around the UK. We also have a full list of City of Sanctuary Groups and Movements.
Manchester
Review of our Party in the Park event
(29 Aug) “Party in the Park was a fantastic one and quite interesting. There is a lot of traditional African foods cooked by the women in the group. Everybody ate and had a lot of fun. It was a good sunny day where everybody was sitting on... read more »
Having no choice
(29 Aug) Having no choice. “It’s unfamiliar to many people in the UK but for many destitute asylum seekers in the UK who don’t have any support for a long time this is good news. Section 4 support (£35 a week in vouchers and a room) is a... read more »
Maternity
Practising presentation skills
(24 Aug) The Maternity group in Leeds held a session to practise presentation skills. We heard some brilliant and powerful presentations and the group provided useful feedback. The women also had their pictures taken. Some of the pictures and... read more »
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Conference
(21 Aug) The Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Conference takes place at the University of Huddersfield on 15th September 2014. The conference will include a diverse range of speakers currently involved in raising awareness of FGM or working in... read more »
Birmingham
St Chad's Catholic Primary School in Newtown is Birmingham's first School of Sanctuary.
(6 Aug) The school put together a portfolio showing the ways in which they offer support to children from asylum-seeking and refugee families. The award was presented to the Head Teacher Matthew Tehan at their final assembly on Friday 18th July. read more »
Cardiff
Get to know more about Cardiff through Cardiff City of Sanctuary
(6 Aug) Are you new Cardiff? Then let the Cardiff City of Sanctuary movement show you around. We can help you access sector services and understand where you need to go to feel included in Cardiff. Contact us on info@cardiff.cityofsanctuary.... read more »
Potter's Temple Church
(14 Mar) read more »
Schools
The "What is home?" patchwork canvas in Bradford
(5 Aug) A magnificent patchwork canvas, measuring over four metres by two, was created by stitching together about 1000 small squares. Syrian children from refugee camps in Jordan and pupils from Bradford schools were asked to decorate the small... read more »
"What is home?" Refugee Week 2014 art exhibition in Bradford
(4 Aug) The What is home? mixed-media, all-age art exhibition was held in Bradford’s Fabric Gallery, in the city centre and ran for the whole of Refuge Week. There were about twenty separate exhibitors, including school children, as young... read more »
Leeds
Two new Schools of Sanctuary announced
(22 Jul) We are proud to announce that two schools were granted the Schools of Sanctuary award this year! Lawnswood High School and Beeston Primary have submitted their portfolio and our awarding committee was delighted to endorse both. read more »
Refugees enjoy art in the Dales
(19 Jun) Article from Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust Mums, pregnant women, babies and toddlers displaced from their homelands and now living in Leeds enjoyed a family day out in Malham with local charity Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT... read more »
Sheffield
Celebrating the life of 'saint' Myra
(7 Jul) Friends from far and wide congregated in Sheffield to join a tremendous expression of gratitude for the founder of ASSIST and Sheffield Conversation Club – Myra Davies, who died after a short illness in May. Myra’s family... read more »
Tributes to murdered student
(12 Jun) Friends and family have been paying tribute to Anowar Tagabo, a 25 year old student who has died following an incident in Sheffield. Anowar had been visiting the city for a family wedding when he was attacked in the city centre. He was... read more »
Derby
"Celebrating Sanctuary Banquet" a huge success!
(28 Jun) The Derby City of Sanctuary group launch event was a great occasion with 250 people attending, about half being free guest places for member of our refugee communities. Twelve more local groups asked to be affiliated, and messages of... read more »
Free courses for refugees in Derby
(2 May) Derby Refugee Advice Centre (DRAC) is offering a series of free courses to refugees and asylum seekers in Derby, roughly one each month. Topics have covered: HIV/Aids, local nature projects and volunteering, Presentation skills... read more »
Health
Regional Asylum Activism publishes briefing on healthcare entitlements of asylum seekers and refugees (both in process and refused).
(25 Jun) We welcome the short briefing from Regional Asylum Activism on healthcare entitlements for asylum seekers and refugees. We agree with them that access to healthcare should be free for anyone who has claimed asylum in the UK, regardless... read more »
Ministerial statements on health from the Immigration Bill
(25 Apr) During the debates on the Immigration Bill, Ministers made statements to try and reassure those concerned about the introduction of a migrant surcharge and charges for primary and A&E healthcare. Steve from Doctors of the World has... read more »
Ipswich
What has happened since the resolution was passed?
(9 May) Although Ipswich Town of Sanctuary has a different focus to that of Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality and the Strategic Migration Partnership, we held a meeting at the start of the year to discuss what information Ipswich... read more »
Faiths
Report from the Churches’ Refugee Network conference, at Sheffield, 5th April 2014.
(14 Apr) Christians from churches across the country, from Bournemouth to Newcastle upon Tyne, from Liverpool to Gravesend, attended the annual Churches’ Refugee Network conference in Sheffield on 5 April. Many who attended were asylum seekers... read more »
Bradford
Bradford passes 'City of Sanctuary' review with flying colours
(26 Mar) With 90 councillors in attendance, Bradford’s Lord Mayor received a certificate from Tiffy Allen, the National CoS Coordinator, in the Banqueting Hall at Bradford’s City Hall on 25th March 2014. Tiffy, Will Sutcliffe (Bradford... read more »
Leicester
Leicester joins nine other UK cities in the Still Human Still Here campaign.
(21 Mar) Leicester became the tenth city and the first in the Midlands to pass the Still Human Still Here resolution opposing policy that results in the destitution of asylum seekers at various points in the asylum process. The motion was agreed... read more »