This year, City of Sanctuary Sheffield has made a substantial impact, as evidenced in our recently shared annual report. While we usually focus on the people and stories that guide our work, rather than relying heavily on numbers or statistics, we recognise that data can help to convey the scale of the work we do and the impact we have. With that in mind, we are sharing some of the key insights and data we have collected from a few of our core projects- insights that speak to the reach, resilience and impact of our work in supporting those seeking sanctuary.
The Sanctuary
The Sanctuary is a unique space; working to be a place of physical, mental, and emotional safety for refugees and people seeking asylum in the heart of Sheffield.
Every day, The Sanctuary welcomes over 90 people, with 14,589 individual visits this year alone. For over 1700 people it was their first time coming to The Sanctuary.
The Sanctuary is a 2500 square foot space in the centre of the city, that acts as the catalyst and foundation for much of our work. It acts as a starting point, a place to build a movement, care for each other, and offer a tangible and functioning alternative to an intentionally hostile policy framework.
The Multi-Agency Drop-In
This year, the Drop-In has continued to be a valuable resource, bridging the gap between people seeking sanctuary and the complex support they need in Sheffield. Alongside The Sanctuary, the Drop-In is one of the key safe and welcoming spaces we facilitate, providing vital support and challenging the unjust constraints faced by people seeking sanctuary.
Every week, an average of 120 people (including up to 40 first-time visitors) are welcomed into the Multi-Agency Drop-In to access advice and support, from City of Sanctuary Sheffield or one of our partner organisations (an average of 16 partners attend each week).
The Drop-In supports a huge range of communities in Sheffield, last year welcoming people from 94 nationalities who speak 73 different languages. Our skilled team of volunteer interpreters work each week to ensure that everyone gets the advice and support they need. There are an incredible 28 languages spoken across our team of over 130 active volunteers.
In addition to the support of our external partners at the Drop-In, City of Sanctuary Sheffield offers several volunteer-led services. Our clothes bank provides essential clothing and footwear to an average of 50 people per week, providing comfort, dignity, and a sense of belonging—all at no cost. Our barbers offer around 20 haircuts each week, helping people feel confident and cared for. Our health and wellbeing desk supported approximately 8 people weekly with guidance and signposting on a broad range of health and wellness issues.
The Drop-In works to be a truly accessible service and strives not only to meet immediate needs but also to foster community connections, allowing people to feel supported and cared for during challenging times. Open Kitchen Social Club’s monthly hot meal at The Drop-In has been a highlight for many.
Sheffield Project for Integration and Growth (SPRING)
SPRING is a collaboration of six organisations that work together to help refugees settle into the local community. Through these truly collaborative partnerships, we work to build sustainable solutions to the challenges that newly granted refugees face. In addition to our core partners, we work closely with and make referrals to over 35 local and national organisations to provide holistic support.
Over 700 people have accessed SPRING support in the last year. Housing and homelessness justice has been a key focus of SPRING’s work and we are working to build cross-city, creative and sustainable solutions to the housing crisis that bring together a wide range of partners (including local and national government, people seeking sanctuary, third sector organisations and housing providers). The SPRING team at City of Sanctuary Sheffield carried out almost 500 housing and homelessness interventions, supporting 381 individuals at risk of homelessness and 95 individuals who were already homeless when they accessed SPRING support.
This data relates to three key areas of City of Sanctuary Sheffield’s work, areas where data analysis is both applicable and genuinely useful. Other crucial areas of work, such as our Advocacy and Systems Change work and the contributions of our Experts by Experience team, are less easily quantified. Their impact is harder to capture within annual reporting cycles, as they focus on long-term and sustainable, deep systemic change and amplifying the voices of people seeking sanctuary. We therefore recommend reading this data alongside our annual impact report, together they speak to both the humanity of our work and the scope of that work.
Join us in building a safety and welcome for those seeking sanctuary. Help us raise the final £2,500 to complete The Sanctuary redevelopment and reopen our doors to the 1,500 people who find safety, support, strength and community with us each month. We are so close to the finish line. Please donate today to make a lasting impact in our community!
In strength and gratitude,
Tom
Director, City of Sanctuary Sheffield
All data is collected from 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024.