Shrewsbury to become ‘Town of Sanctuary’

A campaign for Shrewsbury to become a ‘Town of Sanctuary’ for refugees has been backed by the town council.

The accreditation is awarded by national charity City of Sanctuary to communities which welcome refugees and asylum seekers, and celebrate the contribution they make to society.

A motion calling on the town council to sign up to the scheme was put forward by Councillor Kate Halliday, who said the status would recognise the work already being done in Shrewsbury to support people who had settled there.

The commitment means the town council will develop a Town of Sanctuary strategy and ensure the needs of refugees and asylum seekers are taken into account in its policies and working practices.

It also means the council will work with other groups in the town and share good practice as part of the nationwide City of Sanctuary network.

The resolution followed a presentation to councillors by Amanda Jones and Robert Douglas from Shropshire Supports Refugees.

Mr Douglas said: “City of Sanctuary UK is a movement that has the vision that the UK will become a welcoming place of safety for all and is proud to offer sanctuary to people fleeing violence and persecution.

“It supports a network of groups and that network includes villages, towns, cities and regions across the UK. At the present time there are over 115 City of Sanctuary groups across the UK and City of Sanctuary also supports ‘Streams of Sanctuary’.

“In terms of rolling the programme out in Shropshire, we will be looking at working with schools, libraries, universities, establishing them as places of sanctuary. A number of schools have indicated an interest in doing this.

“In terms of Shrewsbury as a Town of Sanctuary, in supporting the resolution that is before you this evening, you as a council will be signing up to support and implement the City of Sanctuary network principles.

“This would mean that as a council you would aim to develop a Town of Sanctuary strategy. A number of boroughs and councils across the UK have done this or are working on this.

“That strategy would support the creation of strong, resilient and cohesive communities.

“The council would ensure that sanctuary is applicable to all work in the council, and that its services demonstrate consideration of the needs of refugees and asylum seekers.”

Launched by Ms Jones in 2016 in response to the Syrian refugee crisis, Shropshire Supports Refugees has already helped around 100 people who have settled in the county and is in the process of transitioning from a community interest company to a registered charity.

Ms Jones told members that most of the men were now working part-time, with most of the women taking English classes and the children “getting on extremely well” at school.

She said two families were now self-sufficient and not receiving any state benefits, but there were barriers in the way of many refugees becoming fully independent.

Ms Jones said: “They are the most damaged people you could have collected from around the world.

“They have witnessed death, murder, they have lost their business, their jobs, their identities, their families, their friends, they have lost literally everything, and they have been traumatised.”

Councillors praised the work of the group and unanimously supported Councillor Halliday’s motion to sign up to the City of Sanctuary initiative.

Councillor Phil Gillam said: “I think you are doing an absolutely wonderful job in supporting families who have been forced to flee their homelands.

“Many of these people must be absolutely desperate for safety, security and friendship.”

The town council will now produce a portfolio of examples of what it is doing to achieve the City of Sanctuary aims.

Councillor Halliday said: “I think the principles are ones that we can support, I don’t think any of us are going to struggle with supporting the idea of welcoming and including people, and having diversity in our community.

“I have spoken to City of Sanctuary and they would be very keen to help us and support us through the process.”