Cabinet asked to approve first Borough of Sanctuary Strategy
Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve the Borough’s first ever Borough of Sanctuary Strategy at the Cabinet meeting of 12 March.
The Council was recently named a Council of Sanctuary, but this Strategy sets out a desire to make Cheshire West and Chester as a whole, not just the Council, a welcoming place for those fleeing war, conflict and persecution. It has been developed in partnership with many stakeholders from statutory and voluntary, faith and community organisations. This will enable Cheshire West and Chester to be recognised as a Borough of Sanctuary, proud of its diversity and history of welcoming people from across the world to settle here.
This is the first strategy for the Borough and underpins the work that has been made over the past few years in welcoming people seeking sanctuary. It provides a framework and action plan for the wide variety of work that the Council and its partners, especially those from the voluntary, community and faith organisations, will undertake. The Council works alongside other key partners and other “places of sanctuary”, such as schools, colleges, libraries and places of worship, amongst others.
The Strategy’s vision is for partners, including the Council, to work together to make Cheshire West and Chester a welcoming place for those fleeing war, conflict and persecution. It is underpinned by five key values:
- Inclusiveness - We will work to ensure that people from all backgrounds are not excluded or marginalised.
- Openness - We are committed to a culture of working collaboratively within the sanctuary network and in partnership with others.
- Participation - We will ensure that those seeking sanctuary will have their voices heard, are involved in decision making processes and are supported to become leaders within the sanctuary network.
- Inspiring - We will work with partners to inspire a culture of welcome and positivity. We work collectively to inspire those seeking sanctuary to achieve the best for them and their families.
- Integrity - We will work with partners to ensure a high quality of service provision by sharing knowledge, expertise and best practice.
To support the voluntary, community and faith organisations to deliver on the strategy’s key aims, funding from the Government’s Resettled Refugee Schemes and Homes for Ukraine has been put aside to provide funding for project activities. The Sanctuary grants will be used to fund activities such as drop-ins, language skills and access to services that support refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants living in the Borough, helping them to integrate and involve themselves in their communities. These activities are also open to local residents.
The Council was recently awarded the accreditation of Council of Sanctuary by the charity, City of Sanctuary UK. The accreditation recognises local authorities and other places of sanctuary that go above and beyond to welcome people fleeing conflict seeking a safe place to live and thrive.
City of Sanctuary UK praised the Council for promoting a culture of welcome and hospitality for those seeking sanctuary in the United Kingdom through support for integration activities, events in the community, and working with voluntary, community and faith organisations. The Council has also shown its commitment to supporting those seeking sanctuary by ensuring its own services are accessible and welcoming to all people regardless of their background.
Cheshire West and Chester has a proud history of welcome and compassion for refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants from around the world in search of safety, sanctuary, work, education opportunities and a better life. We are proud to have been awarded the Council of Sanctuary accreditation, and to work together with partners across the voluntary, community and faith sectors to support people to feel at home. As a Council, we are just one part of making Cheshire West and Chester a Borough of Sanctuary. This Strategy is crucial in outlining our commitments and values in working with partners to create a welcoming environment. However, in many ways this work has already been happening for a long time, for example in our support for people leaving Syria, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, and Ukraine, amongst others. Community and voluntary groups, schools, libraries, places of worship and other places are all working together as networks, and providing a welcoming environment, support and opportunities to help people settle in our Borough following a period of massive upheaval in their lives.
We’re delighted to support the Council’s Borough of Sanctuary Strategy for 2024-27. It’s vital that all migrants, asylum seekers and refugees feel safe in Cheshire West and Chester and can access the support they need in the local community. We support hundreds of organisations in the community sector, made up of charities, community groups and other not-for-profit organisations. Many of these provide invaluable services for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees and are often the friendly faces that first support people as they arrive in the UK, building trust with people who have experienced significant trauma in their own countries. The community sector will play a key role in the aim to achieve Borough of Sanctuary status, working alongside the Council and other partners on this important strategy.
For more information on the Borough of Sanctuary, visit: