The group was delighted to welcome Paul Wordsworth of York City of Sanctuary to speak at our regular monthly meeting on Monday.

York became a city of sanctuary in October 2016 and last year York St John University became a University of Sanctuary. This means they join a movement started in Sheffield aimed at making refugees and asylum seekers welcome in the city and tackling misinformation which contributes to the “hostile environment” which those fleeing violence and persecution often face.

The group works with refugees and asylum seekers as well as those fleeing domestic violence or modern slavery. Most of its work concentrates on helping and supporting asylum seekers applying for refugee status, but they also organise events and days out for refugee families in York, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford among other places. They support refugees with work experience and English lessons to help them integrate into their new home.

The vision statement of the organisation:

Our vision is of York as a nationally recognised place of physical safety and security, in which people are free to live without fear of hostility, persecution, hatred, oppression of exclusion.

You can pledge your support for York City of Sanctuary as an individual or an 0rganisation.