Do you live in a rural community and are looking for ways you can directly support people seeking sanctuary?

Sanctuary Community Holidays connects urban refugee and asylum seeker communities
with warm-hearted, welcoming rural communities, and together wonderful and much-needed breaks are created in the countryside for groups of 6-16 people for 3-6 night stays.

Getting away from the normal everyday can be transformative for everyone, particularly for people seeking sanctuary who are often stressed, overwhelmed and far from all that’s familiar. Experiencing the kindness of the British public also helps guests feel they can make a life here and people do care.

“I felt they treated me like his son and invited me to come again” – Iraqi Kurdish guest

“It was a joy to get to know both our guests– a very positive, affirming experience in every way” – Host

Sanctuary Community Holidays started out with a connection with Bristol Hospitality Network in 2018, supporting people to take trips to Chagford. After several years of successful annual holidays in Chagford, in 2024 Sanctuary Community Holidays was formed as so to offer this scheme to the whole of the UK.

Sanctuary Community Holidays now run holidays in Pembrokeshire, Chagford, Bridport, The Gower and Kent.

Would you like us to help you make a holiday happen in your area? Find out more, download the handbook and contact the team at Sanctuary Community Holidays (NB: small grants available to assist making a holiday happen)