Good news that Birmingham will retain its City of Sanctuary status! Many thanks to those who wrote to your local councillors – now not only do all new Councillors know about City of Sanctuary, but all Councillors know about the level of grassroots support.
Our friends at Birmingham City of Sanctuary (BCoS) highlighted that a motion was due to be considered by Birmingham City Council on Tuesday 14 July proposing that the council withdraw from its Council of Sanctuary commitment. They provided a strong response to the motion.
The motion was voted down during the meeting, with councillors from different party groups speaking about the good work that civil society does to support people seeking sanctuary, the importance of council support for that, and – perhaps most importantly – the principle of offering welcome being an important part of our identity as a city.
For a positive example of some of the work Birmingham City of Sanctuary does, check out an online exhibition of artwork from local Schools of Sanctuary.
Archive: the action has now concluded, thanks to all those who took part.
We would like to encourage you to contact your local councillors ahead of the meeting and share why it matters that Birmingham Council remains active in sanctuary work. Councillors listen to residents, and hearing directly from people in their wards can make a real difference. If you’re not sure how to contact your local councillor, you can do so via Write to Them.
As the motion has been proposed by one political group, we suggest focusing on councillors who will be considering their position ahead of the debate. Personal messages from residents are likely to have the greatest impact. If you have your own experience of being welcomed to the city, please also include why that was important.
You can request a suggested letter from info@birmingham.cityofsanctuary.org
You may wish to use this template as a starting point, but please do personalise it and share your own experiences and reasons for supporting this work. Please also share this with friends, acquaintances and colleagues who you think would share our concern.
For those connected with Schools of Sanctuary, please note this is not a request for schools to take a position or become involved. This is simply an opportunity for individuals, in their personal capacity as Birmingham residents, to contact their elected representatives if they wish to do so.
If you do write to your councillors, please let BCoS know so we have a sense of the number of residents engaging on this issue.