Features / Bristol Charity Advent Calendar 2024
Bristol Charity Advent Calendar 2024, day 18: City of Sanctuary
City of Sanctuary is a charity advocating for a fair and humane asylum system.
From community groups to schools and universities, local council to libraries and theatres, they work with individuals, groups and organisations in every sector to encourage inclusivity, solidarity and compassion for people from a forced displacement background.
is needed now More than ever
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They work across Bristol to raise awareness of what it means to seek sanctuary in Bristol, challenging misconceptions and celebrating the immense contributions that people seeking sanctuary make to our city.
Alongside raising awareness, they also advocate for a fair and humane asylum system that prioritises protection of immigrants.
Some of their initiatives include the Bristol City of Sanctuary Transport Fund. A community initiative that helps to fund transport for people seeking sanctuary in Bristol, who would otherwise not be able to access vital services and appointments.
In addition, many of the people who receive the tickets are people who are required to sign at Patchway for immigration reporting. Without those tickets, they would have to walk over several miles.
In 2024, they raised £7307, providing 8640 free tickets for asylum seekers.
They also run a Safe Surgery initiate, which is where any GP practice which commits to taking steps to tackle the barriers faced by many migrants in accessing healthcare.
Safe Surgeries was set up in response to Doctors of the World’s findings that one in five of their attempts to register patients with a GP were being wrongfully refused, despite the fact that everyone living in the UK is entitled to access NHS primary care for free.
The biggest barriers are lack of proof of ID or address – but NHS guidance in England, Scotland and Wales is clear that not having these documents is not a valid reason to refuse a patient.
The beginnings of Bristol City of Sanctuary started back in 2008 when a Bristol City Council official brought the idea to a Refugee Week Steering Committee meeting, inspired by Sheffield’s achievement of City of Sanctuary status.
Following that meeting, a group of about 20 committed people, including people from refugee backgrounds, began to meet and talk about how to take things forward.
With funding from the Bristol Legacy Commission, Bristol City of Sanctuary was officially launched in June 2011.
Bristol has held a City of Sanctuary status for more than ten years.
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Main photo: Monica Connell
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