What is Leicester City of Sanctuary?
City of Sanctuary is a national charity which tries to build a ‘culture of hospitality’ for people seeking sanctuary in the UK. The aim is to create a network of places throughout the country which do their best to include asylum seekers and refugees in the lives of their communities. City of Sanctuary was founded in Sheffield in 2005 and the Leicester branch (registered charity no 1138017) was established two years later.
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Leicester City of Sanctuary has begun a campaign to release Abdul, a young man we have been working with who is gentle and kind and absolutely should not be being detained at a deportation and removal centre awaiting removal to Afghanistan. We spoke with Abdul this morning and he is very scared. Please support us by sharing the following link with all your friends.
Sign the petition to save Abdul.
https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/release-abdul-ghafar-rajabali-and-halt-his-deportation
More information here
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Leicester City of Sanctuary has completed their submission to the Inquiry chaired by Leicester MP Keith Vaz. The inquiry includes an analysis of the process of claiming asylum; the treatment of applicants and post-decision outcome. LCoS have submitted comments based on our experience on issues including destitution, assessment of evidence from vulnerable groups (women, victims of torture) and the use of Country of Origin Information and Operational Guidance. We have made 15 recommendations.
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Many of our clients at the City of Sanctuary Drop-in Centre on 11th April were delighted to meet Jon Ashworth MP and talk to him about their problems over lunch.
Jon said “Asylum seekers face a lot of trauma and hardship. They flee their homes, often in fear of their lives, and many of them are separated from their families. City of Sanctuary does a lot of good work in helping asylum seekers and providing the humanitarian assistance they need. I am so pleased to visit their drop-in centre.” He told volunteers they should be proud of all they had achieved. Jon was impressed by the work on display from refugee artist Ali Agayev from Azerbaijan. Ali works with asylum seekers and local people in shared acrylic on canvas workshop sessions held at the drop-in centre in St Martins House, Leicester. Sheila Mosely and John Burnham also came to sing and some of us joined in with them.
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We have set up a Just Text Giving code for Leicester City of Sanctuary. Give us a boost by texting 70070 with the message “LCOS13” and then the number of £s you wish to donate from 1 to 5 or 10. £2 will buy a cooked lunch for a destitute asylum seeker. That’s the price of a cappuccino! Thank you.
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Thanks to Sue Skyrme for bringing together different cultures for an entertaining evening enjoyed by over 100 people.
An appreciative audience gathered at the Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre on 16th March for an enjoyable evening with the Zimbabwean choir, Indian dancing from a local Primary school and English folk singing.
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Leicester resident Colleen Molloy has won a place on the Vodafone World of Difference programme to work at Leicester City of Sanctuary.
Colleen is one of 500 people from across the UK who has been selected to work at his/her chosen charity full-time for two months or part-time for four months, supported by the Vodafone Foundation. Almost 2,500 people registered interest for the programme which will see placements start in March.
Colleen will be working to engage more people in Leicester to support the work of Leicester City of Sanctuary with a view to improving community cohesion. The charity aims to welcome asylum seekers to the city and runs a drop in centre, classes and support services for people who have fled from their home country to seek safety in the UK.
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Following on from our painting workshops we are running some Theatre Workshops, also on Mondays, for everyone interested in joining the new LCofS theatre group, with Director, David Cross. They take place at 4:30pm in the Booth Hall, St. Martins House.
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Blank greetings card are now available for purchase from the St Martin’s House shop or direct from the drop-in centre in the Booth Hall at St Martin’s House on Thursday afternoon.
Only £3.50 for a pack of six with envelopes!
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Near Neighbours (the Church Urban Fund) has awarded us £2,500 to run outings.
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We have been granted £1,500 from the Communities First (Fosse Ward) scheme for running painting – and other – classes at the drop-in centre on Mondays.
