Bristol City of Sanctuary is proud to announce that on Thursday 27th of September we will be launching our new initiative, Schools and Colleges of Sanctuary in an event at the City Academy, Russell Town Avenue, Bristol,from 4.30 to 7.30pm. The Guest of Honour at the event will be Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the County and City of Bristol, Mary Prior. Other speakers will include Gill Kelly, Principal of the City Academy, local MP’s and city council representatives and there will also be a number of exciting performances. The final programme is just being confirmed and will be advertised shortly.
So what is a School or College of Sanctuary? It is an establishment that is proud to be a place of welcome for sanctuary seekers. It is a place that actively works to promote positive attitudes about people seeking sanctuary.
There are three simple principles to being a School or College of Sanctuary:
- Learn about what it means to be seeking sanctuary
- Take positive action to embed concepts of welcome, safety and inclusion within a school or college, and in the wider community
- Share your vision and your achievements,be proud
To qualify schools and colleges will need to submit evidence for each of the three principles. City of Sanctuary is happy to advise on activities to help meet the principles.
The event on 27th September will recognise and celebrate those already working towards the Schools and Colleges of Sanctuary status, and also encourage others to join the programme. We would be be delighted if you could join us so for further information or to register please email us at [email protected]
And finally don’t forget our Development Worker Forward Maisokwadzo is running the Bristol Half Marathon on Sunday 30th September 2012 to raise money for the Schools and Colleges of Sanctuary – you can read the full story at https://www.cityofsanctuary.org/node/1728. You can support Forward’s fundraising efforts by donating through GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/Schools-of-Sanctuary-Run. Please encourage all your friends to also pledge their support and let them know how important their help is to the lives of those seeking sanctuary.
Matt Gillett
Outreach & Project Worker
