Dear Friends and Supporters,

Last week the Government released its quarterly migration statistics, which show that in September 2016 37,958 asylum seekers in the UK were receiving support from the Government’s National Asylum Support Service. This means they qualify for accommodation and/or financial support of less than £6 per day.

The report also reveals that so far in 2016, 45% of appeals made by asylum seekers were allowed, indicating that the system currently in place is struggling to adequately assess the needs of asylum seekers.

This beautifully made video #AVERYBRITISHNATIVITY links their story with the christmas story
 download from vimeo here: 

Our next Conversation Club is on Thursday 15th December 6-8pm at ManchesterCathedral Visitors Centre, 10 Cateaton Street, M3 1SQ. FoodCycle will be providing us with a wonderful meal. It is a great opportunity to meet people who are seeking safety from war and persecution in a warm and friendly envoironment. Your offer of friendship and solidarity means so much.

Our annual, special TWIXMAS PARTY will be on Thursday 28th December (at the earlier time of 5-7pm) at TCRC, 11 Richmond Grove, M13 0LN, behind Longsight Police Station. Between Christmas and New Year, when all the normal support and public facilities like libraries are shut, is particularly difficult time for sanctuary seekers. So its going to be a lot of fun. Children welcome.

Supporters, who are available between 10-12pm, are encouraged to join us at the Twixmas Planning Meeting next Thursday 8th December at TCRC.

You’ll be glad to know that 4 very capable, lovely people have applied and been accepted to be new Trustees.
Andrea Jackson, David Wilkin, Eve Holt and Bradley Russell will bring all their experience and questions, their skill and passion to our new Board. We have also interviewed 4 sanctuary seekers to join us as advisers: Barly Koyangbwa, Mohsen Soltani, Shamime Afsan and Zeeshan Saeed.

Warm greetings from David, Jane, Charles, Jeff, Zhila, Maryam and our new trustees and advisers.

Could your family and friends consider buying an extra gift this Christmas to give to a destitute person or a new refugee?
We are collecting wrapped gifts marked M or F behind the tills at Levenshulmre TESCO, at our December Conversation Club or at TCRC, Longsight, M13 0LN.
Mother Christmas will give the gifts on your behalf at the TWIXMAS event on 28th December 5-7pm.
Thank You so Much. Happy Christmas!

 Great News: 
“Thanks to prompt, persistent, collective action Dianne Ngoza’s deportation has been halted. MP Lucy Powell told NW news that she had spoken to Secretary of State,Robert Goodwin, on Dianne’s behalf . Dianne’s solicitor has called for a judicial review because by Wednesday evening neither he nor Dianne had heard anything from the Home Office officially.”
Dianne’s would like to thank everyone for their letters, their emails, donations and prayers.
If you’d like to read more CLICK HERE for the link to the RAPAR website.

10 seats left on Manchester Coach to Yarlswood Dention Centre Rally to encourage and show solidarity with the women and families held inside. £10 subsidised tickets. Free to asylum seekers.
Text Jane on 07939320899 if you would like  to come with us on SATURDAY (3rd Dec) at 9.15am -returning at 5pm.

On Saturday coaches from all over the country, co-ordinated by the Movement for Justice, will be descending on YARLSWOOD DETENTION CENTRE to protest the injustice of unlimited detention for asylum seekers and to call for the closure of Yarlswood.
The campaign will be addressed across the wall to the women inside to encourage them to fight on and not lose hope.

 

 If you are planning a big Christmas Supermarket shop, why not ask for a bit of help this year?
Ask for a City of Sanctuary Shopping Buddy to help push your trolley and make the whole experience a joyful one.

Our shopping buddies have support through an AZURE Card only and therefore have no access to cash.
You can ask them to pay for your shopping up to the amount on their AZURE card and then simply refund them at the end of your shop. Simple. But for the Sanctuary Seeker who will have restored their dignity by allowing them to shop when and where they choose.
Ring Jane on 07939320899 or email jane@manchester.cityofsanctuary.org

You are invited to support our partner organisation RAPAR’s AGM (Refugee Asylum Participation Action Research)

RAPAR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2016 will be held on:
8th DECEMBER
at 6.30pm     (refreshments at 6pm)
at MANCHESTER FRIEND’S MEETING HOUSE,
6 MOUNT STREET, behind Central Library. M2 5NS.

ALL WELCOME!

New Opportunities

Volunteer Roles 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.

IT & Website manager
Conversation Club Co-ordinators
Shopping Buddies coo-ordinator
Talk English Friends co-ordinator
Fundraiser assistants

For full details please email jane@manchestercityofsanctuary.org

• TWIXMAS Planning Meeting next Thursday 8th December 10am-12pm at TCRC. All welcome.
• Thursday 15th December 6-8pm:  Conversation Club at Cathedral Visitors Centre, M3 1SQ
• Thursday 28th December 5-7pm: TWIXMAS Event for all our sanctuary seekers and their friends and supporters to celebrate together at TCRC, 11, Richmond Grove, Lonsight, M13 0LN

“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