Hi All,

On Thursday 21st April 6-8pm at Manchester Cathedral Vistors Centre, 10 Cateaton St, M3 1SQ, there’ll be the next MCoS Conversation Club. (See below for more details.) The theme is ‘Not just an Asylum Seeker’.
We’ll be getting behind the labels to discover more about each other. All welcome.

Tomorrow, Monday 18th April 12pm there’ll be much celebrating at Alexandra Park. All the MCoS Cyclists, who have been on the TfGM Cycling Project at Alexandra Park, will be presented with their new donated bikes and equipment. if you are free, do come down to the Cycle depot at the end of Russell Street and join the celebrations. Even better if you arrive on a bike!

A big thank you to Eve Holt for pulling the project together – and to all the other volunteers from Whalley Range on Wheels, CycleUK and TfGM.

On Sunday there’ll be April’s Community Meal at TCRC, Longsight, M13 0LN, 1-3pm where we’ll be hearing how the WAST Still we Rise Performance has been recieved, about a new project for our MCoS young people, and a new project for our MCoS children.

Each of these events is an attempt to rehumanise the Asylum process and change statistics into real people, each with a history, who need a future, too.

Behind the smiles there are many tears, of frustration, anguish and despair. Since the last Conversation Club some people will have heard back from the Home Office with the news of a refusal of their case or the termination of their support. Others will be waiting still. A fortunate few will have received their leave to remain and be trying to find their way into the UK system and trying to find somewhere to live.

We look forward to meeting you on Thursday, or working with you make your pledges turn into a real gift.

Greetings!
from Fay, Jeff, Nadine, Jane, Dianne, Charles, Jila, Anita, Mayam & David

The next Conversation Club will be on Thursday 21st April 6-8pm at Manchester Cathedral Visitors Centre, 10 Cateaton Street, near Selfridges, M3 1SQ. The theme is ‘Not just an Asylum Seeker’ and is being organised by MCoS Volunteers.

The next Community Meal is on Sunday 24th April 1-3pm. We’ll be hearing from Women Asylum Seekers Together about their new performance ‘Still We Rise’, which they will be taking on tour to Newcastle. We’ll be hearing about Jeff’s Magical Mystery Tour taking place on Wednesday 27th April 5pm for young people aged 17-21; and about our special PopUK Making Music, Making Friends Holiday Club at Whitsun half-term 31st May-3rd June for Asylum children at Primary School and local children who would like to come and make friends.

Conversation Club is a chance for people of the same nationality or who speak the same language to meet and encourage each other and pass on news and advice on surviving in the asylum system.
It’s a chance for British people to share local knowledge and help sanctuary seekers integrate in their new society.

Maternity Stream Launch

Launch of Manchester City of Sanctuary’s Maternity Stream
 Thursday May 5th
10am-12.30pm
Transformation Community Resource Centre, Richmond Grove, M13 0LN,
behind Longsight Police Station.
The event is for everyone interested in increasing levels of support for sanctuary seekers.
We hope to bring together pregnant and nursing mothers who are in the asylum process, with local midwives and health visitors, midwives, NCT members, doulas, breastfeeding support, befrienders and anyone else interested in supporting these women during and after pregnancy.
https://maternity . cityofsanctuary . org/about

Please contact becca@cityofsanctuary . org if you would like an invitation to the event

Please share #MCoSmaternitystream
 

We have just completed a survey of our Shopping Buddy Pilot scheme and the response has been very positive.
We are nearly ready to launch the scheme for a wider group of Sanctuary Seekers.

Could you be a Shopping Buddy too?

The Shopping Buddy Scheme pairs up local supporters with sanctuary seekers, who receive limited financial support from the Home Office on a voucher called an ‘Azure’ Card. By shopping together at the supermarkets involved in the scheme, supporters can really make a difference to the lives of sanctuary seekers.
It is very difficult to live without access to cash, especially if you have children. There are many things that can’t be bought in the big supermarkets: Bus tickets, bargains, ethnic foods and secondhand clothes.

If you would like to know more about the scheme or you know someone who needs a Shopping Buddy, please email [email protected]

PopUK and MCoS are teaming up to run a unique singing and recording project for children from families seeking asylum from war and persecution, together with local British children who are willing to offer a hand of friendship.

If you would like to know more contact [email protected]  or Andy Silver at [email protected]
If you wanta reccommendation ask the children of St Stephen’s school, Backburn: https://m . youtube . com/watch?v=0JFhcdb70R0

Can you help?

Manchester City of Sanctuary runs on the generosity of its supporters.
People fleeing persecution and war usually arrive alone. They have left everything to find a place of safety. After a period of time in detention, and several addresses later, they may be moved to a street near you.
Please help us to connect new asylum seekers with people who can welcome and help them.

We need small amounts of money to use to pay bus fares.
Each Conversation Club needs 60-70 bus fares, each English Class, bike session, theatre ticket, planning group session needs 10-12 bus fares to make it possible for asylum seekers to take part.

We need larger amounts of money to fund our worker after September and to develop many more integration activities.

You can now sign up for a direct debit form on our website https://manchester . cityofsanctuary . org. There will be donation boxes and direct debit forms available at each Conversation Club. Please contact Anita if you can help [email protected] or [email protected]

“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