Dear Friends and Supporters,

Zhila, one of our Refugee Trustees, is performing a play called ‘Standing in my Own Truth’ at Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, at 1.30pm this Saturday, 8th October.
The 1/2 hour show powerfully portays the disparity between the safety sought and the reality of the asylum system. It’s a Pop-Up Theatre Performance as part of the Journies Festival
Check out their dynamic website detailing all the events across Manchester www.journeysfestival.com ;

Our next Conversation Club on Thursday 20th October 6-8pm will be explaining our anti-racism policies and hatecrime awareness campigns to people new to this country and culture. The citycentre police will be joining us.
The Community Meal on Sunday 30th October will have an Autumn theme: could you teach someone to be a champion conker player?, could you organise the apple bobbing?, could you arrange indoor sparklers and explain what Bonfire Night is all about?!

You’ll be glad to know that 3 very capable, lovely people have applied to be new Trustees. We have postponed the interviews until November so if you would like to consider stepping up for Manchester City of Sanctuary please send your CV and a covering letter, explaining why you’d fit the role to [email protected]

Autumn Greetings
from Jane, Charles, Jeff, Fay, Dianne, Zhila, Maryam and David.

New Opportunities

for experienced, able persons who share Manchester City of Sanctuary’s passion for creating a culture of hospitality and welcome for sanctuary seekers in Manchester.

WANTED:  Chair of Trustees 2016-18
For job description, person spec. and application form please email [email protected] or [email protected]
Deadline:   Interviews for Chair & other Trustees postponed to Thursday 10th November. 

We are also seeking the right person to act as:
Vice-chair of Trustees
Secretary to the Board
Vice-Treasurer
IT & Website manager

Other volunteer roles available:
Arts co-ordinator
ESOL co-ordinator
ESOL teacher
Activities co-ordinator
Shopping Buddies coo-ordinator
Admin assistant
Talk English Friends co-ordinator
Fundraiser assistant

For full details please email [email protected]

If you are not hard at work on  Monday 17th October 9.30am -12.30pm you may want to join us for our Fun Ride along the Fallowfield Loop as part of Manchester’s Big Bike Revival. We will be starting at Alexandra Park, Russell Stret carpark. Let Jane know if you’re coming. This year MCoS in partnership with Whalley Range on Wheels will have helped 40 sanctuary seekers to learn to ride and own their own bike.The difference this makes is phenomenal!

“I’m free on my bike!  No more waiting for buses!  It keeps my body fit. Thank you Manchester City of Sanctuary”

Emma Hicklin from Urban Village Medical Practice is heading up a pilot scheme to improve care at doctor’s surgeries for asylum seekers. They have employed a refugee as part of the working party. They are hoping to award the first ‘Surgery of Sanctuary ‘Awards to sugeries who are have educated staff on the particular health needs of people struggling to survive in the asylum system; who are offeriing cultural sensitivity, respect, concerned empathy and trust ; who are helping with integration and restoring dignity and hope to people who have lost everything.

If you would like your GP surgery to work towards this award or if you think your neighbourhood practice deserves recignition for its work with asylum seekers and refugees, please contact Charles at [email protected]

• Saturday October 8th- 1.30pm-2pm Standing in my Own Truth at Manchester Musuem, Oxford Road, M13 9PL
• Thursday 20th October 6-8pm: Conversation Club at Manchester Cathedral Visitors Centre, 10 Cateaton St, M3 1SQ
• Sunday 30th October 1-3pm: Community Meal for  local people to meet with sanctuary seekers for a meal and friendship at TCRC, 11, Richmond Grove, Lonsight, M13 0LN
• Thursday 10th November  – Interviews for Chair & other Trustees at TCRC

“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 2005