Hi all,

Today I found myself describing British tactics for dealing with our cold and unpredictable weather:

1)  Winter vests and ‘long johns’ (that you wear next to your skin before you put on other extra layers of clothes), 2)  ‘Hot water bottles’ (that you fill with near boiling water and hug to your tummy or put down your bed near your feet)
3)  Hot soup to fill you up and warm your insides.

There are lots of sanctuary seekers who need to come in from the cold to find a warm welcome from local people.
Do take the opportunity of our City of Sanctuary Events to be part of that Mancunian welcome.

Stay warm!
Jane, David, Omer, Anita, Faye, Charles, Maryam, Jila, Dianne and all at City of Sanctuary

Our Twixmas party is on the horizon!

Local ‘Ceilidh’ Band members are busy signing up to come and entertain us. The Beech Band are well known locally for their enthusiasm, skill and range of instruments. Thanks Ken!
(A Ceilidh is English folk music and dancing. All ages can join in so children will be welcome.)

Wednesday 30th December 5-8pm. (NB New earlier time, as requested by some to make getting home easier).
Transformation Community Resource Centre,
1st Floor, Richmond House, 11 Richmond Grove,
Longsight, M13 0LN
(behind Longsight Police Station.  192 Bus.    Bus fares available for sanctuary seekers)

Who would you like to invite? A neighbour? Another sanctuary seeker?
Tickets from any of the Steering Group at the next Conversation Club.

All are welcome!

Also, are you available to help wrap presents? If so, contact Jane at[email protected]

Next Conversation Club: 17th Dec 6-8pm at Cross Street Chapel, City Centre.

Why not come along and bring a friend?

Conversation Clubs are fantastic, informal places to show solidarity, have fun and share food with people from all over the world. Song, poetry, dance and joy tend to be in abundance, so come along.

Abigail Spooner is compiling a CoS newsletter for Christmas! Thanks Abigail!

Please send any articles, stories, jokes, cartoons or photos to her by December 9th to
[email protected]

Thank you!

This Thursday 10th December 10am-12pm some young Asylum Seekers and Refugees are meeting to write up their experience of Britain and living as an asylum seeker in Manchester.
They are in the process of making an on-line resource called: ‘Everything you need to know’, for asylum seekers by asylum seekers.

If YOU have tips and advice you would like to pass on to any new Sanctuary Seeker
then please email jane@manchester.cityofsanctuary.org with your thoughts and observations.

The Steering Group consists of half sanctuary seekers and half supporters who meet together each month to review and dirct the development of City of Sanctuary Manchester.

You can read about the origins of the movement on the mainwww . cityofsanctuary . org website and also about the progress Manchester has made in becoming a welcoming city at www . manchester . cityofsanctuary . org
Each city is different according to its size and the amount of agencies and organisations working on behalf of sanctuary seekers. In Manchester there will be a new Partnership Project launched on 15th January to bring everyone together. (More news to follow.)
Our Steering group is meeting on the evening of Thursday 10th December.
Is there anything you’d like us to discuss?
If so, email Jane with the title ‘agenda item’ to jane@manchester.cityofsanctuary.org

Each year groups of Christians sing traditional Christmas songs to wish their neighbours a Happy Christmas. This year there’ll be Carol Singing inside the big ASDA in Longsight on Saturday 19th December at 2pm to entertain the shoppers.

If you’re a Sanctuary Seeker and would like an experience of Carol Singing you would be made especially welcome (whatever your own faith background).
There’s a carol singing practice session this Sunday 13th December 12.00-1.30pm at The Church of the Nazarene, Tollgate Close, Longsight M13 9LU.

Contact Jane for more details.

jane@manchester.cityofsanctuary.org

15 people have so far signed up for Bike safety & Maintence Course to be organised early next year.
Are you interested in attending the four week course?
If so, please email Jane using the subject: Bike Maintenance to   [email protected]

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Dianne, from our Steering Group, and Jane, our new part-time worker, went down to Parliament last Tuesday to support MPs to amend the Government’s new Immigration Bill.
As you can see from the photos attached it was an awe-inspiring experience.
Many asylum seekers gave their testimonies to a full Committee Room and several MPs came to express their thanks for the active support of City of Sanctuary.
Anne McLoughlin, MP for Glasgow N.E, was amazing in fighting our cause.
Unfortunately the Government won and each and every amendment was dismissed with significant impications for asylum seekers*
But there is still an opportunity to write to Members of the House of Lords where we do have cross-bench support.
The next full debate is 22nd December. Please stay involved. Keep fighting. You can tweet or email them using www . writetothem . com to encourage the Lords to hear real refugee testimony about the realities of their legislation on the ground.

*Abigail will bring you a more detailed account in our Christmas newsletter for those who are interested.
You can sign up on the www . parliament . uk/business/bills

Many of our members have asked if any music lessons are available. Are you a music teacher, who could offer an hour or two of free tuition on a weekly/bi-weekly basis?

If so, please contact Jane using ‘I can teach Music’ at[email protected]

Thank you!

Shopping Buddy’s wanted! Do you do your weekly shop regularly in the big supermarkets?

Would you be willing to shop with an Asylum Seeker with only an Azure Card to survive on?
Many asylum seekers have to live on £3 a week which is put on a card which they cannot convert into cash. They have to shop at specific, large supermarkets, and cannot save the money from one week to another. This means they cannot buy winter coats, shoes or train tickets if they need to travel for appointments with lawyers or the UKBA.

Contact Jane if you would be able to volunteer in this simple way to give an Asylum Seeker ready cash in exchange for your weekly shop to be able to buy a bus ticket, use charity shops or shop at ethnic food shops.

“The objective of the City of Sanctuary movement is to create a culture of welcome and hospitality for those seeking Sanctuary, Refugees and other vulnerable migrants amongst us” – Inderjit Bhogal, founder of City of Sanctuary