This is a very big year for us… we’re marking two decades of City of Sanctuary. For 20 years, we’ve been building a movement of solidarity, friendship and mutual support across the UK.
This journey has been shaped by tens of thousands of ordinary people demanding something better – and doing something about it.
Twenty years ago in Sheffield, a small group of locals and people seeking sanctuary gathered over cups of tea. The conversation that day wasn’t particularly remarkable – concerns about hostile headlines, discussions about bus routes, sharing of recipes – yet something profound was beginning.
City of Sanctuary didn’t start with grand ambitions or elaborate plans. It began with a simple idea: that our communities are stronger when everyone is welcomed, supported and connected.
A Different Approach is Possible
In those early Sheffield days, the challenges seemed overwhelming. The national conversation around asylum was growing increasingly hostile. Media narratives painted people seeking sanctuary as problems to be solved rather than neighbours to be welcomed.
A handful of determined Sheffield residents – faith leaders, community organisers, teachers, and people with lived experience of seeking sanctuary – believed a different approach was possible. What if, instead of focusing on what divides us, we celebrated what connects us?
The vision was practical and humble: to create a network of welcome where people could rebuild their lives with dignity. No one imagined then how far this ripple would spread.
From Local to National
The Sheffield model proved infectious. Bradford, Swansea, and Leicester soon developed their own City of Sanctuary groups. What made the movement special wasn’t centralised control but its grassroots nature – each community finding its own authentic expression of welcome.
By our tenth anniversary, we had grown to over 80 local groups. Today, as we mark twenty years, City of Sanctuary has touched nearly every corner of the UK.
The growth hasn’t just been geographic. What began as primarily refugee support evolved into Local Authorities of Sanctuary, Schools of Sanctuary, Universities of Sanctuary, Libraries of Sanctuary, and more. The principle remained the same: creating spaces where everyone can contribute, learn and belong.
We are most proud of the fact that those who traditionally have been positioned as ‘recipients’ of sanctuary are this movement’s leaders and visionaries.
City of Sanctuary was never about one group ‘helping’ another – it was about recognising that our communities need everyone’s contributions.
Challenges and Growth
Our journey hasn’t been without challenges. We’ve witnessed increasingly hostile immigration policies, funding crises, and the rise of divisive politics that threatened the very foundation of our movement.
Each challenge has stretched and strengthened us. When the pandemic hit, local groups reimagined connection through digital spaces. When the funding landscape changed, we discovered creative resource-sharing. When hostile narratives increased, we amplified stories of solidarity.
Looking Forward
What began with a handful of dedicated people has grown into tens of thousands working together across the UK.
Yet the heart of City of Sanctuary remains unchanged – the belief that everyone deserves to belong, to contribute, to find safety.
The challenges ahead are significant. But so is our collective resolve. From Edinburgh to Plymouth, Belfast to Norwich, people are choosing connection over division, welcome over fear.
Twenty years ago, the idea that a small group in Sheffield could spark a nationwide movement might have seemed far-fetched. Today, it stands as testimony to what becomes possible when we recognise that sanctuary isn’t something one group offers another – it’s something we create together.
Here’s to twenty more years of building communities where everyone belongs.
We want to hear from you!
To mark this milestone we want to share stories from the people who have made this movement what it is today – including you. What have you learnt from being involved with the City of Sanctuary movement? How has City of Sanctuary benefited your community? How has this movement changed your life?
We also invite artists from all backgrounds to submit their creative interpretations of what City of Sanctuary means to them—whether through painting, photography, poetry, music, or any medium that speaks to your experience—to help us celebrate and visualise two decades of building communities where everyone belongs.
Submit your memories, reflections and creations to [email protected]
Ensure another twenty years!
We hope we’re not needed in twenty years, but if we are, we’re going to need your help. Set up a monthly direct debit today – even £5 monthly creates lasting impact. Together, we’ll continue to build a more welcoming UK for people rebuilding their lives here.
Thank you so much for standing with us.