Dear ,

Everyone deserves to live in safety, no matter who they are or where they come from.

So when the voices pushing hostility and division are loud – we must be even louder. Read on for ways to raise your voice, get connected and show welcome in your community.

Please spread the word by forwarding this email to five friends. To get daily updates, follow our X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.

Our Sanctuary Awards programme recognises and celebrates the organisations and institutions who go above and beyond to foster welcome, compassion and empowering opportunities. In the last month we have had the honour of awarding...

Deal Town Council and Perth and Kinross Council, both are now awarded Local Authorities of Sanctuary. Congratulations, this is a huge achievement! Cumberland Council have also passed a motion to start working towards the award.

A very warm welcome to the University of Southampton, now a University of Sanctuary.

Congratulations to Play to the Crowd, a Theatre of Sanctuary and to The Museum of English Rural Life, a Museum of Sanctuary.

A huge well done to Ladybarn Primary School; Green End Primary School; Cringle Brook Primary School; Manchester (reaccredited)
Adamsdown (reaccredited); Allensbank (reaccredited)
Stacey Primary School (reaccredited); Howardian Primary School; Christ the King Primary School, Cardiff; West Kirby School and College (Wirral), all newly awarded or reaccredited Schools of Sanctuary.

Last but certainly not least, congratulations to the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and Belfast Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital have both been recognised with Sanctuary Awards.

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.

Lift the Ban
Asylum Matters have created new resources to help you engage with your MP over the Lift the Ban campaign. They are holding an online coalition gathering on 21st October 12-1pm to take stock, review the strategy and plan how to keep building momentum with the new Government and secure change. You can register for the online gathering here. 

Demonstration Against Detention
Right to Remain/These Walls Must Fall are organising a demonstration at Hassockfield/Derwentside Immigration Detention Centre calling for Hassockfield to close and the end to Detention. All information is here. They are also organising an Online Rally to end Immigration Detention today at 7pm.

Notable dates:
Black History Month - October
National Teachers Day - 5 Oct
World Mental Health Day - 10 Oct
Anti-Slavery Day - 18 Oct

If any City of Sanctuary groups have any plans for these dates, please let our Communications Manager know - [email protected]

Events, resources and opportunities

Welcome to City of Sanctuary
New to City of Sanctuary or just plain curious? Join us on 7 Oct for an online session providing an overview of the background and growth of the City of Sanctuary movement across the UK, share our values and aims and how we work with community organisations across all four UK nations to support new arrivals. Register here.

City of Sanctuary lunchtime meet up
Join us on 23 Oct for an informal lunchtime meet-up. Meet and chat with members from the City of Sanctuary network to have some fun and talk about topics such as well-being, education, projects or general chat. You can choose the breakout rooms that most appeal to you. Feel free to suggest ideas for topics to discuss. Bring your lunch and a cuppa! Register here

Regional meet-ups
These are a chance to connect with individuals and organisations supporting people seeking sanctuary. Yorkshire, Humberside and Lincolnshire are meeting on 15 Oct, register here. South and South West are meeting on 17 Oct, register here. Midlands and East England are meeting on 22 Oct, register here.

Knowledge is power workshop
Learn about how best to use the Right to Remain Toolkit, the stages of the asylum system – and crucially, how to support people going through the asylum and immigration system without giving legal advice.

Knowledge is Power is Right to Remain’s flagship online workshop series, designed to assist an increasing number of people who are new to the asylum and immigration system and new to the Toolkit. Join Right to Remain on 8th October, register here.

eVISA support
The Home Office is changing to a digital immigration system. This Key Guide, written by Right to Remain, is for people who are helping someone to make the change. Four national organisations have received a dedicated national grant to provide immediate and free support for vulnerable people in their transition to an eVisa. See the organisations here.

• Leicester City of Sanctuary | Chief Officer | rolling
• Safe Passage | Arrivals and Social Support Worker | 13 Oct
• Mental Health Foundation | Project Manager - Bridges to Belonging | 28 Oct
• Civic Power Fund | Migrant Power Project Lead | 28 Oct
• POMOC | London Community Organiser & Campaigns Manager | 14 Oct
• Rainbow Migration | Comms and Campaigns Assistant | 1 Nov
• Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit | Communications Officer | 28 Oct