A monthly update of news, events, opportunities, campaigns and jobs from the City of Sanctuary networks.

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Sanctuary Awards

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

Together Productions has been re-accredited as a Choir of Sanctuary

University of Winchester has been re-accredited as a University of Sanctuary

Lambeth Council has been re-accredited as a Council of Sanctuary.

St Vincent’s Newcastle is now a Centre of Sanctuary.

The following are newly awarded or reaccredited Schools of Sanctuary: Hyde Park Infant School, Plymouth; Hyde Park Junior School, Plymouth; Welbeck Primary School, Nottingham; Dovecote's Primary School, Wolverhampton; Ravenswood Primary; St Cuthberts Kenton Primary; Welbeck Primary; St Joseph's Primary; Benfield secondary; Excelsior secondary; Earlsdon Primary School, Coventry (reaccreditation); Royal Wootton Bassett Academy, Wiltshire; SS Mary and John Catholic Primary School, Birmingham - reaccredited; Holy Family Catholic Primary School and Nursery, Knowsley; St. Ethelwold's Church in Wales Primary School, Flintshire; Cromwell Junior and Infant School, Birmingham (reaccredited); Robert Shaw Primary School, Nottingham

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

Campaigns & Actions

Earned Settlement
The government are consulting on their planned changes to settlement in the UK, known as “earned settlement”. The government have made clear that they want to go ahead with their plans. But members of the public and organisations have the opportunity to have a say by filling out an online consultation. Read GMIAU's guide and have your say here - deadline 12 Feb

Sign the petition - Don’t leave refugees in limbo: Scrap the 20-year wait. here

Use this tool produced by Praxis to write to your MP and urge them to oppose these attacks on settlement

Use this tool produced by Work Rights Centre to write to your MP and urge them to oppose plans to restrict settlement

Together March: 28 March
The Together Alliance is an alliance of over 120 civil society organisations united against the far right. They are mobilising and organising across the country to bring a message of hope over fear, prior to holding a major demonstration in London on 28 March. Find out more and get involved

Events, resources and opportunities

We host regular regional online meet-ups that bring together City of Sanctuary groups, partners, Sanctuary Award holders, and organisations currently working toward the award. Check our upcoming events here

Campaigning with Confidence: How charities can lawfully engage in advocacy and political activity
Join us on 5 Feb for a webinar with webinar Catherine Gibbons, an Associate at Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP who specialises in charity governance, who will take us through the key points of charity law that we need to understand when considering engaging with political issues, including during an election cycle. Sign up here

Sanctuary Awards Info Session 
Join us on 4 Feb for a quick fire session to learn about the award process and for us to answer any questions. This is geared towards groups, arts institutions and libraries that are looking to either assess or apply for an award. Sign up here

New Report: Making Asylum Housing Work By Investing in Communities
Refugee Action looks at how a community-investment model could improve how we house people seeking asylum in a way that’s positive for all people in need of a decent home.   Read it here

Resources for Faith Groups to Respond to Far Right Hostility
Scottish Faith Action for Refugees have compiled resources for faith groups seeking to respond to community tensions and hostility. See here

Windrush Day Grant Scheme 2026
This funding supports community led projects that celebrate the legacy of the Windrush generation and their descendants. Applications are open until 10 February. Find out more

Good Chance Theatre present A Grain of Sand
A Grain of Sand is a one-woman show that takes an intimate look at war through the eyes of a child blending Palestinian folklore with real-life testimonies from children in contemporary Gaza. Find out more and book

Other Side of Hope
The submissions window for the 'other tongue, mother tongue' issue will be open 1 Feb - 30 April. The editors will ​only consider poetry in any language, apart from English, by refugees and immigrants. Find out more here

Report on conditions and treatment at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre
This early day motion calls on the Government to launch an immediate inspection of the treatment and conditions of these detained asylum seekers. Read the motion and ask Your MP to support it

Be part of Refugee Festival Scotland 2026
Event registration and applications for festival opportunities are now open. The deadline to submit your event is Tuesday 21 April. Anyone can apply to host an event. Click here to register an event

Briefing on impact on mental health of government's asylum reforms
Helen Bamber Foundation have published a briefing on the potential impact of the government’s proposed changes to refugee leave and settlement on refugees’ recovery and mental health. Read it here

• African Rainbow Family | Operations Manager | ongoing
• Our Second Home | Content Producer, Bristol Community Coordinator & Fundraising Manager | 9 Feb
• Right to Remain | Legal Education Officer | 2 Feb
• IRMO | Communications, Monitoring & Evaluation Officer | 1 Feb
• Nottingham Refugee Forum | Refugee Resettlement Manager | 15 Feb
• LRMN | Finance Assistant | 16 Feb
• Young Roots | Casework Manager | 13 Feb
• Breaking Barriers | Head of Fundraising | 8 Feb