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Dear friends,

The Refugee Ban Bill has been approved by our MPs - but the fight is not over. If passed, this Bill will criminalise the act of seeking asylum in the UK, and push people seeking safety further into harm’s way. But the Bill has not passed yet, and still has to go to the Lords and back to the Commons, so there's still time to raise your voice. Read on for ways to get involved.

It's also never been more important to celebrate the positive alternative to hostility that our networks offer. Cheerlead your work, get more people involved, make connections with local press and use Refugee Week in June as a way to champion welcome, compassion and community.

Please help spread the word, share this newsletter round-up with your friends, supporters and networks.

To get daily updates, follow our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Refugee Week is coming! This year's Refugee Week theme is Compassion. We encourage all City of Sanctuary groups and awarded organisations to get involved. See here for more resources and ideas.

Building solidarity locally: Responding to hostility. In response to a rise in far-right activity, we have worked with Together With Refugees, HOPE not hate, and IMIX to put together a 10 point plan of what local organisations can do if any similar situations happen in their area. Read it here.

The power of lived experience in creating welcome. Our co-chair Yusuf Çiftçi has written about the efforts City of Sanctuary UK is making to bring about more lived experience leaders, more decisions shaped, informed, designed, and led by people with lived experience. Read it here.

Annual conference and AGM in Birmingham. Registrations for City of Sanctuary groups and Sanctuary Ambassadors only are now open. Registrations for other organsiations and individuals open on May 15th - once we have opened this we will not be able to guarantee places for City of Sanctuary groups so please do not delay in booking your places.

Introducing our new range of t-shirts, tote bags and art prints! We have a brand new range of sustainable, ethical and organic merchandise. Perfect for all your Refugee Week events! Every penny of profit helps us build this movement of welcome for people seeking sanctuary. Shop now.

Last year saw growth in our networks like never before - but now our longer term future hangs in the balance. Two of our major funding grants will come to an end next year. That's the majority of our core funding. We need you to stand with us at this critical moment. If you can, please become a regular monthly donor. Your support will help us weather this storm and plan for the future.

If you have any ideas or want to support us further during these difficult times, please reach out to our Chief Officer on [email protected]

A huge congratulations to Oxfam Tooting, Wandsworth's first Shop of Sanctuary and to Greyfriars Church in Reading, now a Church of Sanctuary.

Well done to Willows High School in Norwich and Stowlawn Primary school in Wolverhampton which are both now a School of Sanctuary, and to St Vincents School in Birmingham who have been re-accredited as a School of Sanctuary for the third time - that’s nine years of prioritising welcome, compassion and solidarity. ⁣This phenomenal achievement has been driven by Head Teacher Mrs Tibbets, who is retiring this summer. Thank you Mrs Tibbets for all your loyalty and steadfast support.!

Finally a warm welcome to London Borough of Merton Council, Calderdale Council, Monmouthshire Council, and Ilkley Town Council who have joined our Local Authority Network.

Each one of these awards is assessed by a panel which includes as a minimum, a local member of City of Sanctuary, someone with lived experience of seeking sanctuary and an expert in the field. An award lasts three years when it then must then be re-assesed. Find out more about the awards process here.
Campaigns, actions and notable dates
 

The Refugee Ban Bill
The Refugee Ban Bill has been approved by MPs. But the fight is not over. If passed, this bill will criminalise the act of seeking asylum in the UK, and push people seeking safety further into harm’s way. The Bill isn't passed yet - it's just got through its latest parliamentary stage, and still has to go to the Lords and back to the Commons, so there's definitely still time to raise your voice:

-Safe Passage has shared a ‘Tweet your MP’ action you can use to call on your MP to oppose the Bill.
-Women for Refugee Women have shared a write to MP action focused on the indefinite detention of pregnant women.
-The Salvation Army has shared a write to MP action. focused on protecting the rights of modern slavery survivors

Call on your local authority to fight the #AntiRefugeeLaws
Local Authorities have a vital role to play in demonstrating local and regional opposition to these appalling measures. You can call on your Local Authority to stand with its communities and pledge to fight the anti-refugee laws by getting involved with our Local Authority network and by using Asylum Matter's newly updated resources, which include a template motion.

Notable upcoming dates:
Whole of May: Local and Community History Month
1-7 May: National Gardening Week
15-21 May: Mental Health Awareness Week
12 May: International Nurses Day
14 May: National Children's Day
25 May: Anniversary of George Floyd’s Murder

If any City of Sanctuary groups have any plans for these dates, please let our Communications Manager know on [email protected]
Events, resources and opportunities
 

Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Meeting
Join us on May 10 at 4pm for this opportunity for groups across the region to meet, share ideas and build stronger regional ties. The focus will be on Refugee Week. Register here.

North East England Regional Meeting
Join us May 15 at 12pm for this opportunity for City of Sanctuary groups across the North East region to meet, share ideas and build stronger regional ties. Register here.

Libraries of Sanctuary Network Meet Up
Join us on 16 May at 10am for this session for current and aspiring Libraries of Sanctuary to come together and share best practices, community, challenges and goals for the next year. Register here.

Greater Manchester Sanctuary Network Meeting
Join us on 16 May at 4pm for this meeting for organisations based in Greater Manchester interested in supporting people seeking sanctuary to get together, share positive initiatives and work together on events and projects. The focus will be on Refugee Week. Register here.

Town and Parish Councils of Sanctuary
Join us on 17 May at 2:30pm for a session for Town and Parish councils to discuss the role of local councils in creating welcoming communities. We will look at the award process and discuss case studies. The meeting will also be an opportunity for clerks and councillors from around the UK to make connections and talk about their journeys to becoming recognised local councils of Sanctuary. Register here.

Informal Lunchtime Meet-Up for City of Sanctuary Networks
Join us on 23 May at 12:30pm for an informal online lunchtime chat. This is a space for people across the networks to come together and connect. No agenda set just bring your updates, ideas and questions. Register here.

Sanctuary and the Arts Network Meet Up
Join us on 23 May at 10am for a session for current and aspiring Sanctuary and the Arts institutions, museums, theatres, galleries, etc to come together and share best practices, community, challenges and goals for the next year. Register here.

Further Education College Lunchtime Networking Meet up
Join us on June 1 at 12pm for an informal lunch time meet-up for FE Colleges to share updates and information about their efforts to promote welcome and sanctuary at their institution and in their community. Register here.

How To Stop Funding Hate - Online Workshop
Join Stop Funding Hate on May 4 for a workshop to learn about their campaign and how YOU can help its success. Sign up here.

Refugee Week: Simple Acts
Simple Acts are everyday actions we can all do to stand with refugees and make new connections in our communities. Find out more and get involved here.

Refugee Week 2023 Social Media Toolkit
This year's social media toolkit has lots of helpful text, images and videos to help you spread awareness of Refugee Week and promote your own activities. Find it here.

Want to be part of Refugee Festival Scotland 2023?
This year's festival runs from 16-25 June. The theme is hope. Interested? Submit your event by May 1st.

Survey on the cost of living crisis' impact on people who have migrated to the UK
Praxis are looking at the impact of the cost of living crisis on people cut out from state support and unable to access relief measures. Please circulate this survey with your service users, if appropriate. It should take around 10 minutes to complete.They are particularly interested to find out about the experiences of those affected by NRPF.

Survey for hosts involved with Homes for Ukraine
The University of Surrey is conducting a survey designed to assess the acceptability of an online tool designed to provide information on PTSD for hosts of Ukrainian refugees, and whether it is likely to be successful in improving knowledge and attitudes among hosts accessing it. The survey takes 10-15 minutes.

Supporting Refugees and New Arrivals: The Snowball Effect”, as part of the British Library Living Knowledge Network
Watch the recording of this excellent webinar from Hampshire Library Service as they discuss how they support new arrivals by listening, responding, and adapting over time and share tips on how your library service can do the same.

Safe Surgeries Training
Join Doctors of the World on 30 May for this training for GP practice staff on entitlements to primary care and an introduction to Safe Surgeries for inclusive GP registration. Register here.

Schools of Sanctuary Refugee Week BIG Fundraiser
This year our Schools programme is asking that schools get involved with the Schools of Sanctuary Refugee Week BIG fundraiser to support a local refugee organisation and the Schools of Sanctuary programme! Find out more and get involved here.

Job opportunities
 

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