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.

City of Sanctuary was formed in October 2005 from a meeting between many of the voluntary and faith groups working with asylum-seekers and refugees in the city of Sheffield. They identified the need for a common vision for the city as a whole, and formed the nucleus of a network of supporters that now includes 81 local organisations, including schools, community projects, Community Forums and student groups, as well as most of Sheffield's main faith communities.

Supporting organisations make a public commitment to welcoming and including asylum-seekers and refugees in all of their activities. Practical expressions of this in Sheffield have included offering befriending and advocacy, inviting asylum-seekers to hold positions of responsibility, volunteering placements, language exchanges, organised countryside walks, and providing emergency accommodation.

We want to encourage more local organisations to make a public commitment to welcoming and including asylum-seekers and refugees in their activities. Please contact us if you would like to get involved.

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Sheffield City of Sanctuary

c/o Victoria Hall
Norfolk Street
Sheffield
S1 2JB