Sheffield

Involving Refugee Volunteers

Craig Barnett — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:46:50 +0100

A course for organisations wishing to recruit refugees as volunteers. Wednesday 5th November, 9:30 - 4pm, The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, Sheffield, S1 4FW

This course will help you to:

Sheffield

International Feast

Craig Barnett — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:45:06 +0100

Thursday 6th November, 4th December and then first Thursday of every month - 7pm at the Welcome Centre, Nottingham Street, Pitsmoor. [Buses 47, 48, 75, 76, 88]

A regular evening of bring and share food, conversation and friendship. Single people, families and children are all welcome. People seeking sanctuary are especially welcome.

Sheffield

Annociate is free!

Craig Barnett — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:02:18 +0100

Following intense campaigning from friends and supporters, local charity volunteer Annociate Nimpagaritse from Burundi was freed from detention on Thursday 25th September, and was finally able to return to Sheffield after two weeks in various detention centres.

Sheffield

Abundance

Nicola Freeman — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 11:28:47 +0100

Abundance is a project to harvest the seasonal glut of local fruit like apples, pear and plums. Each year hundreds of fruit trees go unpicked either because people don't notice them, may not be physically able to harvest them or there are just too many fruits at one time.

Sheffield

Journeys to the City

Nicola Freeman — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 11:19:01 +0100

Sheffield Theatres are embarking upon an exciting new project called ‘Journeys to the City'. The project will gather stories from groups and individuals about their journeys to and within the city and use them as a stimulus to be explored through performing arts, creative writing and visual art.
The diverse range of stories will be developed into an original Theatre in Schools production in March 2009.

Sheffield

WalkTalk in Sheffield

Craig Barnett — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:57:46 +0100

On Friday 25 July the Walk Talk team, led by Gill Hicks, a survivor of the 7/7 London bombing, arrived in Sheffield where they were greeted by a group of supporters, including Paul Scriven, leader of the council at the Peace Gardens.
The 200 mile walk for peace and cohesion, en route from Leeds to London, continued down the Moor to St Mary's Church then on to Sheffield United Football Ground, ending with a picnic in Mount Pleasant Park, Sharrow where we enjoyed wonderful food courtesy of Aagrah restuarants and sat and talked in the sunshine.

Sheffield

‘Human Rights for Migrants’ - Public Meeting with Nick Clegg MP

Craig Barnett — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:56:03 +0100

Thursday 31st July, 6pm at Sheffield Town Hall Reception Room

This was a huge success, as over a hundred people came to hear from refugee and migrant worker communities in the UK, and to discuss the issues directly with Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Sheffield

Building Bridges on the Manor

Craig Barnett — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:47:45 +0100

We have recently formed a working group of City of Sanctuary volunteers to develop some community projects to build bridges between local people and asylum-seekers in Sheffield neighbourhoods.

Sheffield

Asylum Health Meeting

Nicola Freeman — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:58:26 +0100

A public meeting in Sheffield last night heard how local asylum seekers were suffering because of rules barring some of them from free hospital treatment. One man from Afghanistan who damaged his spine while mending a roof was eventually let off paying his bill but said he was told he couldn’t have a wheelchair. Another said he was refused medical care for his diabetes and when his sight deteriorated the local Eritrean community raised £3,000 for his treatment.

Sheffield

Our Manifesto

Craig Barnett — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:30:29 +0000

City of Sanctuary is a movement to build a culture of hospitality for asylum-seekers and refugees in Sheffield. We are working to make Sheffield a city that takes pride in the welcome it offers to people in need of safety, and that enables asylum-seekers and refugees to contribute fully to the life of our communities.

Sheffield

Interview on Sheffield Live! FM

Craig Barnett — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:06:30 +0000

There's an interview with Craig and Babak from City of Sanctuary on Sheffield's community radio station Sheffield Live! website. To listen just follow the link here (our interview is about a third of the way into the programme.

Sheffield

Strategy Planning Event

Craig Barnett — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:15:12 +0000

On 7th February we held a meeting at Sheffield University to choose our priorities for Sheffield as a City of Sanctuary over the next year. Fifty supporters and representatives of supporting organisations held lively discussions and shared their ideas.

There was a broad commitment to our Manifesto of long term goals for Sheffield, (see 'Our Manifesto' link on the left).

The core priority that was identified by the meeting was on building community between local people and new arrivals, particularly in key local neighbourhoods where asylum-seekers and refugees are concentrated.

Sheffield

What Can You Do?

Mark Gibbens — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 12:46:15 +0000

How could your community welcome Asylum-seekers and refugees?

Pass a resolution of support for City of Sanctuary.
Display one of our "We welcome asylum-seekers and refugees" signs outside your building or office.
Invite a refugee or asylum-seeker to speak to your community about their experiences.
Publicise City of Sanctuary, Refugee Week and other refugee events within your community.
Publicise opportunities for voluntary work with asylum-seekers and refugees.

Sheffield

Media Launch for Sheffield as City of Sanctuary

Craig Barnett — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:02:46 +0100

On Tuesday 18th September we held a media launch at Sheffield Town Hall with the Mayor of Sheffield and community leaders from some of our supporting organisations, including Muslim, Christian, Sikh and Hindu communities, Sheffield Hallam Student Union, Sheffield Futures, and The Co-operative group. The event was covered by BBC Radio Sheffield, Hallam FM, The Star and The Telegraph, and was picked up nationally by BBC Radio Five Live. It would be really helpful if our supporters could look out for mentions of City of Sanctuary in the media over the next few weeks, and respond to any letters or comments that are critical of the movement. It's important for us to tell our stories so that the debate isn't left to those who are hostile to refugees.

Sheffield

Sheffield Refugee Campaigns for His Brother's Life

Craig Barnett — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 10:28:52 +0100

A Sheffield refugee, Martin Hadi Butimar, is campaigning with local friends to try to save the life of his brother, Hiwa Butimar - sentenced to death in Iran for his advocacy of human rights for Kurdish people. You can find out more information and contact the Iranian government directly through the campaign website here.

Sheffield

Star Letter

Craig Barnett — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 12:08:51 +0100

This letter by Graham Wroe of Sheffield Green Party was published in The Star recently:
"Dear editor,
"Many people in South Yorkshire recently faced the traumatic experience of having to leave their homes, either because of actual flooding or the threat of Ulley dam breaking. Our thoughts are very much with the people who still can't return to their homes and have lost most of their possessions.

Sheffield

What does it mean to be a City of Sanctuary?

Craig Barnett — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 12:04:36 +0100

Following the recent announcement of Sheffield becoming the first City of Sanctuary, we now need to work out a shared set of practical goals for Sheffield’s engagement with asylum-seeker and refugees. We will be asking for the views of all our supporters and aim to hold a consultation event in 2008, leading to a plan that we can all share responsibility for working towards.

Sheffield

Refugee Week Ceilidh

Craig Barnett — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:04:27 +0100

Our latest City of Sanctuary Ceilidh night for Refugee week was an amazing experience of sharing cultures, music and dance. Asylum-seekers and refugees from around the world learned some traditional British dancing, and they entertained us with stunning displays of traditional costumes and African drumming.

Sheffield

Asylum-Seekers' Blogs

Craig Barnett — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 13:11:00 +0100

A team of Sheffield-based asylum-seekers and refugees have started their own City of Sanctuary 'blogs' - writing about their views and experiences of life in Sheffield. Click on the 'Asylum Blogs' link in the menu above to read their work, and please leave your comments or questions for them by clicking on the 'Comments' link underneath any blog post. We are running a weekly drop-in bloggers' workshop, led by Mark Gibbens, on Wednesdays from 11am to 5pm, at Access Space, 1 Sidney St, S1 4RG. Tel:0114 249 5522 If you are a refugee or asylum-seeker, or someone who befriends or supports them, and you would like to write your own blog on this website please contact us.

Sheffield

FAQ

City of Sanctuary — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:04:11 +0100

These are some answers to common questions about Sheffield City of Sanctuary. Please feel free to get in touch with us if you have further questions or concerns.

Sheffield

Supporters

City of Sanctuary — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:56:34 +0100

The following Sheffield groups and organisations support the aims of Sheffield City of Sanctuary, and are actively working to build a culture of hospitality and welcome for asylum-seekers and refugees in Sheffield.

If you feel your group or organisation might wish to help Sheffield become recognised as a City of Sanctuary, please consider pledging your support.

Sheffield

Pledge your support

City of Sanctuary — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:24:40 +0100

We are seeking statements of support from the widest possible range of community groups and organisations across Sheffield for our goal of becoming the UK's first 'City of Sanctuary'. Could your group or organisation pass a resolution such as this?

Sheffield

Radio Sheffield interview

City of Sanctuary — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Keith and Ethel Burdett gave an interview for BBC Radio Sheffield’s Breakfast Show on 14th December, to talk about the house they have bought for destitute female asylum-seekers in Gleadless Valley. Keith told how the women call them ‘Mum and Dad’, and also gave City of Sanctuary a mention. It was a really positive piece of reporting, showing just how generous and hospitable local people can be. Please let us know if you have any stories that would make a good piece for local radio or press.

Sheffield

About Sheffield City of Sanctuary

City of Sanctuary — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 12:20:00 +0000

City of Sanctuary is a movement to build a culture of hospitality for refugees and asylum-seekers. In 2007, with the support of the City Council, Sheffield became the UK’s first ‘City of Sanctuary’ for asylum-seekers and refugees - a city that takes pride in the welcome it offers to people in need of safety.

Sheffield