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Harriet Morgan-Shami and Tas Perry, two local artists, led a 6 week Life Writing Course and the group will be reading some of their poetry and passing on their skills at the Conversation Club on June 16th.

We look forward to meeting you soon.

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

From Tuesday 31st May-Friday 3rd June, 10am-12pm, MCoS will be running a special, free Holiday Club for 4-11 year olds. (Older siblings are welcome too). If you would like to know more contact [email protected]  or Andy Silver at [email protected]
If you want a reccommendation ask the children of St Stephen’s school, Backburn: https://m . youtube . com/watch?v=0JFhcdb70R0

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.

The next Community Meal is on Sunday 29th April 1-3pm at TCRC, 11 Richmond Grove, M13 0LN, behind Longsight Police Station. All welcome.
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.
And we’ll be speed dating! (See Charles Kwako-Odoi for details!)

The next Conversation Club will be on Thursday 16th June 6-8pm at the Cathedral Visitors Centre, 10 Cateaton Street, M2 1SQ. The food will be provided by FoodCycle and the activity will be led by Harriet Morgan-Shami & Tas Perry, and the snctuary Seekers who have been part of the Life Writing Course.

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.

We are looking for 50 local families to shop once a month with an Asylum Seekerfrom June- September.
These are sanctuary seekers who are appealing against their refusal decision from the Home Office and are therefore being supported only by a preloaded AZURE Card.

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]

We need a shopping Buddy too!

We will be trying to influence policy of the shadow cabinet when they come to Oldham on a Listening mission.
We particularly want to ask them to allow asylum seekers to work if the Home Office has not responded to their request for asylum within 6 months – in a bid to reduce he growing problem of destiution amongst asylum seekers.

Sir Keir Starmer MP, Shadow Immigration Minister, will be in Oldham on Friday 27th May to discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with immigration with Debbie Abrahms MP and members of the public.

This is part of an immigration listening tour the Shadow Immigration Minister and former Director of Public Prosecutions started earlier this year, aiming to talk to the public, charities and trade unions about migration, before drawing up policy ideas.

The meeting is open to members of the public and will take place in Oldham town centre at 3.30pm on Friday 27 May.

If you would like to attend or for more details contact: 0161 624 4248 or email [email protected]. Full location details of the event will be provided in a confirmation email.

Roger and Charlotte have now fundraisied nearly £700 for their English Courses for Sanctuary Seekers who have very little English yet.  The next course starts 25th May. If you’d like to support their efforts. The link is

https://www . gofundme . com/23aw4hg

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. Please alert us if you know of funding opportunities.

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]

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.

“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