Open Democracy Podcast

The online magazine Open Democracy recorded interviews with Sheffield refugees and friends for Refugee Week. You can listen and download the podcast at:
www.opendemocracy.net/audio/world-refugee-day

Medical Foundation Workshop on Torture

Sunday 29th June, from 10 am to 4 pm, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Andover Street, Pitsmoor, Sheffield S3 9EE.

CoS on Open Democracy

The online magazine ‘Open Democracy' is publishing a series of articles and podcasts over Refugee Week, including several contributions from City of Sanctuary supporters in Sheffield. You can read, listen and contribute to the discussion throughout the week at www.opendemocracy.net/blog/migrantvoice-on-refuge

Refugee Week 16th-21st June

These are some of the highlights of Refugee Week this year. For full details of all events, see the Refugee Week leaflet, available at local libraries and venues all over the city centre:

Saving Sanctuary

"The development and expansion of the ‘City of Sanctuary' movement is
expressly to be encouraged as one way of forming a centre ground for
sanctuary at a local level", according to The Independent Asylum Commission.

The IAC has just published the first report of its conclusions and recommendations for reform of the UK asylum system: ‘Saving Sanctuary' (available at www.independentasylumcommission.org.uk)

EGM -ETHIOPIAN/ERITREAN GRAND MEAL!
Wednesday May 21st, 7pm, Ethio Cubano Restaurant

Hello Everyone,

Apologies for two mailings in one day, but I wanted to add this
Call out for the emergency night shelter in Burngreave:

EGM -ETHIOPIAN/ERITREAN GRAND MEAL!
Wednesday May 21st, 7pm, Ethio Cubano Restaurant

We need to have an Extraordinary General Meeting to discuss and vote a change in our constitution that we need for our charitable registration.
We thought it would be a good opportunity for people to catch up on our news and meet other City of Sanctuary supporters over a meal so have booked a hot buffet at the Ethio Cubano Restaurant on Arundel Gate.
The meeting will start at 7pm, and the eating will start at 7.30pm!

"Atrocious Barbarism: Limiting Healthcare to Asylum Seekers"

Come and hear speakers including asylum-seekers, representatives from the Department of Health, the Home Office and medical professionals talking about health issues affecting asylum-seekers, including restrictions on access to essential medical care.
Next Monday 14th at 7pm at Room 5,The Showroom Cinema, Paternoster Row, Sheffield. Admission is free.
Public Meeting organised by City of Sanctuary and South Yorkshire Migration & Asylum Action Group (SYMAAG)

Building Bridges on the Manor

We have recently formed a working group of City of Sanctuary volunteers
which will develop some community projects to build bridges between
local people and asylum-seekers in Sheffield neighbourhoods. As a first
stage we would like to work with groups and individuals in the Manor
area. If you have connections in this area, or would like to be involved
in developing this work, please let us know.

Refugee Advice Free Training Event
The Northern Refugee Centre, in association with Advice Centre Support
in Sheffield , has organized a free one-day training event for advice
workers, refugee community organizations and others advising refugees
and asylum seekers.
There are 4 dates: Wed16th April, Tues22nd April, Thurs 1st May, Fri 16th May
Lunch will be provided and creche facilities are available on request
For more information and booking please ring 0114 255 6162 or email admin@advicesupport.org.uk

Sheffield Interfaith Walk
The Islamic Society of Britain Sheffield together with the Bishop of
Sheffield and Yorkshire & Humberside Faith Forum will
be holding the annual Sheffield Interfaith Walk on Sunday April 13, 2008.
starting from St Catherine's on Melrose Road, Burngreave at 2.30pm

Life Swapping
Northern Refugee Centre and Sharrow Forum present "LIFE SWAP", an opportunity to share stories of culture, moving and life in general, with free entertainment and tasty food, on Tuesday 15th April, 5.50-8.30pm at the old Sharrow Junior School building on South View Road. For more info please contact Helen Todd at the Northern Refugee Centre on 241 2783 or by emailing helen.todd@nrcentre.org.uk

NEW Furnival Tuesday Cafe!
The Furnival on Verdon Street in Burngreave is opening its doors as a Community Cafe on Tuesday afternoons with healthy, fresh and affordable food from around the world. There will also be internet access available
From 10am to 12.30pm the Women's Health Network will be running coffee mornings for women only, and from 12.30 to 3pm the cafe will be open to everyone, For more information contact Fatima Musa on 272 6971 or The Furnival on 272 7497.

City of Sanctuary

Building a culture of hospitality for asylum-seekers & refugees

www.cityofsanctuary.org

Public Meeting on Asylum Health

Monday 14th April, 7pm at The Showroom Cinema, Paternoster Row,
Sheffield.
City of Sanctuary and South Yorkshire Migration & Asylum Action Group
(SYMAAG) are holding a public meeting about health issues affecting
asylum-seekers, including restrictions on access to essential medical
care.
Speakers include asylum-seekers, representatives from the Department
of Health, the Home Office and medical professionals.
Admission Free

Kurdish Community Celebration

Friday 21st March, 2pm to 6pm. Ellesmere Park, Ellsemere Road, Sheffield S4
Sheffield's Kurdish community welcomes City of Sanctuary supporters to their Newroz (New Year) celebration tomorrow.

Football Unites Tournament

5th April, Goals Sheffield, 95 Norfolk Park Road
Sheffield, S2 2RU
Football Unites is a project run by student volunteers from Sheffield Hallam University. Every year they organise a tournament for refugees of all
ages, ability and origin. The project is looking for footballers/representatives to come along and be involved in the day, from interacting with participants to presenting trophies to the winners.
Contact: lee.dunne@student.shu.ac.uk

Website News

See our national website at www.cityofsanctuary.org for news of City of Sanctuary groups around the country. To see local news just choose the ‘Sheffield' link on the left sidebar, or go direct to www.cityofsanctuary.org/sheffield

New Worker at City of Sanctuary

Nicola Freeman is our new Communications and Administration Worker, who started work at the City of Sanctuary office this month. You can contact her with enquiries, suggestions, news and events for publicising, or just for a chat by contacting: nicola@cityofsanctuary.org

On 7th February we held a meeting at Sheffield University to choose our priorities for Sheffield as a City of Sanctuary over the next year. Fifty supporters and representatives of supporting organisations held lively discussions and shared their ideas.
There was a broad commitment to our Manifesto of long term goals for Sheffield (see our website for the full document). The top priority identified by the meeting was building community between local people and new arrivals, particularly in key local neighbourhoods where asylum-seekers and refugees are concentrated.
We are now setting up a working group of volunteers to develop some projects ideas to help make this happen. If anyone is interested in helping with this process, or has ideas or suggestions please get in touch.

‘Promises' - a play by Northern Refugee Centre's REACT drama group

"Queta is determined to create a better future for her baby, having left their old life behind because of war. But nothing seems to be easy in this strange new place, Sheffield." ‘Promises' is a short play following Queta through her first few weeks in Britain.
Wednesday 12th March, 6:30-9pm at Showroom Cinema Room 5, Paternoster Row, Sheffield. Admission Free (donations welcome)

Free Radio Training by Sheffield Live!

Sheffield Live! community radio station is offering free training courses in radio journalism. The course is accredited by OCR and is Key Skills Level 2 (Communication). The training is on Thursdays for 1 month. It's for anyone who has no UK qualifications and is over 16. This starts in early March, and has 30 places.

For more details or to book a place contact: ben@sheffieldlive.org

Come and take part in planning our strategy for making ‘Sheffield – City a Sanctuary’ a reality. Have your say in choosing our city’s goals and priorities for welcoming and including asylum-seekers and refugees.

On Thursday 7th Feb 2008, 1.30-4pm at Sheffield University, ICOSS building, 219 Portobello, Sheffield, S1 4DP

Please contact us to book your place, as numbers are limited. Asylum-seekers and refugees are especially welcome, travel expenses can be paid (please contact us to arrange this in advance).

City of Sanctuary Goes National

City of Sanctuary is teaming up with the Refugee Council, the UK’s largest refugee organisation, to support local groups throughout the UK in developing their own Cities of Sanctuary. We have also received funding from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust to support this work. There is already a City of Sanctuary working group in Leicester, and people working to set one up in Leeds, and in 2008 we aim to see a growing national City of Sanctuary movement that can start to influence policy-makers and public attitudes throughout the country.

New Website

We have a new national website, will be a resource for all local City of Sanctuary groups to publicise and share news and ideas. It is still at the original address of www.cityofsanctuary.com, but now includes sections for each city, as well as discussion forums and blogging facility. We are looking for asylum-seekers and refugees, or those who befriend and support them who would like to publish their views and experiences on a City of Sanctuary blog. Please contact us if you are interested in this, or visit our drop-in blogging and Web skills session at Access Space, 1 Sidney St, S1 4RG, on Wednesdays between 11am-5pm.