City of Sanctuary is a movement to build a culture of welcome and 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 Sheffield is an independent charity that works to build this culture of welcome in the city.
Important Update:
Our staff and volunteers are working tirelessly to support those seeking sanctuary during the covid 19 pandemic. See The Virtual Sanctuary menu for more information about all we are doing.
News
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Sailing on Tears: Raising Money for City of Sanctuary Sheffield
Songwriter Nadia Durrani-Jones has collaborated with a number Sheffield-based musical talents to produce a song raising money for refugees and asylum seekers in the UK, with donations kindly going to support City of Sanctuary Sheffield locally, as well as Refugee…
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Protecting everyone from homelessness during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.
City of Sanctuary Sheffield, with support from partners across the city, are calling for Sheffield City Council to take a stand against the recent Home Office decision to resume eviction proceedings for those who have been refused asylum.
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City of Sanctuary Investing in Volunteers! 👏
Our volunteer team is an absolutely vital part of everything that we do at City of Sanctuary Sheffield. They are instrumental in both creating welcoming spaces that challenge the hostile environment and empowering people seeking sanctuary to navigate the system as…
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The City of Sanctuary Connections Project
Isolation. Loneliness. Exclusion. These are words we're hearing a lot at the moment from our friends and neighbours across the country.
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City of Sanctuary UK – In Brief!
City of Sanctuary UK supports a network of over 100 local and grassroots groups contributing to building the movement for welcome and inclusion in the UK. We promote understanding, recognition and celebration of the ways in which people seeking sanctuary…
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The Migrant COVID-19 Support Group Reaches Across the City
During lockdown, our volunteers have been hard at work co-ordinating and helping out with the Migrant COVID-19 Support Group. This part of The Virtual Sanctuary that has supported 245 people in under two months with deliveries of important items including…
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Including, connecting and supporting those seeking sanctuary
"I am delighted to be part of a team who managed to adapt to reach out to their beneficiaries and also extend their services to include more people."
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COVID-19 Migrant Support Group is making a difference!
During the COVID-19 pandemic our volunteers have been working extremely hard to continue supporting people seeking sanctuary in Sheffield, and ensure that refugees and asylum seekers feel included and connected to the larger society. One of our volunteers in the…
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Homeschool Support Project featured on ITV Calendar
During the lockdown, City of Sanctuary Sheffield has been supporting families seeking sanctuary by providing laptops, data connections and IT support to school age children across the city, enabling them to continue their education while schools are shut.
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Stop Evictions from Asylum Housing
Yesterday (March 18) the government promised that private tenants will not be evicted from their homes for at least three months even if struggling with their rent under emergency coronavirus legislation.
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Parliamentary Debate on Asylum Decisions
Paul Blomfield, Labour MP for Sheffield Central, recently took part in a Parliamentary debate on the timescale of asylum decisions, arguing that the current 28 day moving-on period for asylum support is insufficient, and calling this period to be doubled…
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Theatre of Sanctuary Network Assembly meets in Sheffield
Sheffield—the UK's first City of Sanctuary—hosted the second Theatre of Sanctuary Network Assembly last month, with over 30 theatre practitioners, festival organisers and arts curators assembling in the city to discuss how the performing arts can promote sanctuary.
