Bristol's record on helping refugees earns 'City of Sanctuary' award
BRISTOL has been awarded the title of a City of Sanctuary – one of five in the UK – for its work welcoming refugees and asylum seekers into the community.
Representatives from 10 cities across the UK voted for Bristol to be given the mantle at a meeting of the City of Sanctuary National Network in Nottingham after a two-year-long campaign.
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Forward Maisokwadzo, who has been campaigning for Bristol to achieve 'Sanctuary' status
Bristol joins Sheffield, Swansea, Bradford and Coventry, which have previously been awarded the title.
Bristol City Council voted on November 16 last year to officially give its support to the City of Sanctuary movement.
June Burrough, the chairwoman of City of Sanctuary Bristol, who led a delegation of the Bristol bid team to the meeting, said: "Offering Sanctuary is not new to Bristol as we have often welcomed people here in the past, but as our world becomes ever more unstable, it is really important for us to continue that tradition with open arms and compassion towards those who have been persecuted."
As part of Bristol's bid the group had to secure backing from at least 100 organisations spanning business, education and the voluntary sector, including the likes of Rolls-Royce and GWE Business West. It will now work with them to help integrate further Bristol's ethnic and social communities.
Forward Maisokwadzo, an exiled journalist from Zimbabwe who is now a development worker for Bristol City of Sanctuary, has been working to build support for the initiative across the city. He said the bid was based on Bristol's history of encouraging minority communities to play a strong role in their city.
Mr Maisokwadzo, 38, said: "It's a mixed feeling. Firstly, that of excitement and then the positive challenge of how we make this a reality or meaningful to the city, in particular for victims of persecution, some of whom face myriad problems in our own backyards, living from hand to mouth, sleeping rough in our streets."
"However, the recognition will help us all as a city to collectively work together and contribute to the life of the city and build a cohesive community."
Mr Maisokwadzo is now working to implement the bid's strategy of bringing communities closer together.
"There is a long tradition of welcoming people (in Bristol) but we must continue and extend that – and not only for refugees," he said. "We must ensure everybody lives peacefully together and that they contribute to the city. That is where things like learning English are so important."
The project is reaching out not just to new arrivals, but to those who have been here for a long time. Development worker and musician David Mowatt is organising a "Reconciliation Laboratory" for people to come and share stories at St Stephen's Church off Corn Street in the city centre on March 23. The event, which starts at 7.30pm, features live music and food for a suggested £5 donation. For more information, go to: www.cityofsanctuary.org/bristol
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by Roy, Clifton
Monday, March 07 2011, 7:42AM
“'City of Sanctuary' indeed.
There can be no doubt Bristol would win 'Victim & Martyr' industry award.”
by Neil, Bristol
Monday, March 07 2011, 6:50AM
“Thanks for the list Dan. Only a few commercial enterprises on there. I wonder what the pitch was to these? Does anyone have a breakdown per tax payer capita that Asylum seekers and their supporting networks actually cost an average tax payer?”
by Chris, Bristol England
Sunday, March 06 2011, 7:50PM
“Thanks Dan for the tip off !
regarding the exposed "100 "
just goes to show all the groups and organisations not one bearing the Name of our country "ENGLAND "
"NOTHING for the ENGLISH " as usual, our roll is to PAY for EVERYTHING and get nothing in return. !
Just goes to show we have a new form of Racism......ANGLOPHOBIA !
Which is rife with the Liberal Left , also Bristol City Council who refuse to support ST GEORGES DAY our National Day , should be a bank Holiday, surely EQUALITY SHOULD BE FOR ALL !
When will the silent majority make a stand ?”
by Good Question, Sorry, Wrong Answer
Sunday, March 06 2011, 7:43PM
“How strange that a city that "consults" on green spaces, parking restrictions, road changes, supermarkets, and just about everything else you can think of, did not hold a consultation on "City if Sanctuary"status. I'm afraid this is the Labour and Libdem councillors feeling good about themselves. Like most other things, nothing to do with democracy.”
by lolly, Bristol
Sunday, March 06 2011, 5:38PM
“I dont think the people in addmin at Rolls/Royce new what they were voting for because my frind works there and doesnt even know why they have any thing to do with this group.”
by The Hedgehog, Horfield
Sunday, March 06 2011, 4:59PM
“Well, that's it!
I'm definitely going to put Pratt & Whitney engines in my new airliner and, as for the Tribe of Doris...”
by Dan, South Gloucestershire
Sunday, March 06 2011, 4:44PM
“So 100 organisations backed this. Why not get a complete list of them, write to them and boycott their goods and services.
The overwhelming majority of these organisations are vested interests, religious organisations, and/or council/government funded. Exceptions like Rolls Royce are only there as they can get their name in lights with little to no effort. Hardly any are commercial. Put bluntly, it's a big left wing circle jerk.
Here's those organisations in full:
1 ACTA Community Theatre
2 African and Caribbean Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise (ACCCE)
3 African Initiatives
4 African Voices Forum (AVF)
5 Afrika Eye
6 Amnesty International Bristol Group
7 Anglo-Iranian Society (AIS Bristol)
8 Anti-Slavery
9 Avon and Bristol Law Centre
10 Baker Brown Associates
11 Barnardo¿s South West
12 Bedminster Quaker Meeting
13 Black Development Agency (BDA)
14 Bristol Action for Southern Africa (Bristol ACTSA)
15 Bristol and Avon Chinese Women¿s Group
16 Bristol Citizen Advice Bureau
17 Bristol Community FM (BcFM)
18 Bristol Community Housing Advice Service
19 Bristol Darfur Association
20 Bristol Debt Advice Centre
21 Bristol Defend the Asylum Seekers Campaign (BDASC)
22 Bristol District of the Methodist Church
23 Bristol Drugs Project
24 Bristol Fairtrade Network
25 Bristol Folk House
26 Bristol Foundation Housing
27 Bristol Hospitality Network
28 Bristol Multi-Faith Forum (BMFF)
29 Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign
30 Bristol Refugee Rights
31 Bristol Somali Forum
32 Bristol Sudanese Association
33 Bristol Trades Union Council
34 Bristol Zimbabwe Association
35 British Red Cross
36 Churches Together in Greater Bristol
37 City of Bristol College
38 Clean Slate Training and Employment
39 Clifton Diocese
40 Coconut Chilli Digital
41 Coexist
42 Create it! (Arts) Ltd.
43 Crisis Centre Ministries
44 Cube Cinema Bristol
45 Easton Christian Family Centre
46 Elays Development Network
47 Faithnet Southwest
48 FCA (Foster Care Associates) Western
49 GWE Business West
50 Happy City Initiative
51 Hotwells Primary School
52 Imayla
53 International Organisation for Migration
54 ISR (Churches Council for Industry and Social Responsibility)
55 John Wesley¿s Chapel
56 Kenya Association in Bristol
57 Kingswood Methodist Church
58 Malcom X Centre
59 Modoto Ltd
60 National Union of Journalists Bristol Branch
61 Off the Record
62 One25
63 Orange Street Creative Studios
64 Oxfam South West
65 Pax Pontis
66 Radio Salaam Shalom
67 Reckless Orchard
68 Red Notes Choir
69 Redland Quaker Meeting
70 Refugee Action (Bristol)
71 Refugee Women of Bristol (Email: refugeewomenofbristol@yahoo.co.uk)
72 Roaring Success Communications
73 Rolls-Royce
74 Royal West of England Academy
75 Saint Bonaventure¿s Roman Catholic Parish
76 Shelter Housing Support Service
77 SHOP (Vintage Lounge and Arts Venue) Community Interest Company
78 Society of Merchant Venturers
79 Somali Development Group
80 South Avon Conservation and Amenities Society
81 South West TUC
82 St Gregory¿s Church, Horfield
83 St Nicholas of Tolentino School
84 St Nicholas Tolentino
85 St Pauls Advice Centre
86 Staple Hill Methodist Church
87 Student Action for Refugees
88 Temwa
89 The Brigstowe Project
90 The Bristol Bike Project
91 The Ethical Property Company
92 The MediaWise Trust
93 The Pierian Centre
94 The Rainbow Programme
95 Thinking people
96 Transparency Research
97 Tribe of Doris
98 Trinity Community Arts Ltd.
99 Trinity Henleaze United Reformed Church
100 Tyndale Baptist Church
101 Ujima Radio
102 Unchosen
103 University of West England
104 UWE Unison
105 Victim Support-Avon and Somerset
106 Volunteering Bristol
107 Voscur
108 World Development Movement (Bristol Group)
109 Young Bristol”
by Neil, Bristol
Sunday, March 06 2011, 3:53PM
“So 100 organisations backed this. Why not get a complete list of them, write to them and boycott their goods and services.”
by Dan, South Gloucestershire
Sunday, March 06 2011, 1:35PM
“Hmmm, more posts disappearing including one of mine. That'll teach me for using the "M" word...
By the way, are there any supporters of this potential money pit that fancy putting across a coherent argument in favour of it?”
by John, Bristol
Sunday, March 06 2011, 12:49PM
“Shame it isn't called the 'City of Integration'.
I personally think what a lot of people resent is not "communities" but "ghettos" because that is what we see springing up.
There are "certain communities" whose policy is specifically NOT to integrate, not to allow themselves to become "tainted" by the decadent ways of the West.
They are quite happy to be "tainted" by UK taxpayers' money, as long as they do not have to compromise on issues such as integration, dress, language etc.”