The Bishop of Wakefield first introduced the City of Sanctuary movement to Wakefield in 2005 beginning with a drop-in centre at the Quaker Meeting House. Before long, asylum seekers and refugees were flocking for help with problems. Many who came needed legal advice and a volunteer solicitor joined the team. 

Asylum seekers refused the right to remain in the UK by the Home Office are often accepted on appeal, but the legal process can take months or even years. Sometimes people get trapped in the system – they no longer qualify for support but are unable to travel back to their country of origin. In response to their plight, the Asylum Seeker Support Fund was established. It continues to be a lifeline for those who find themselves living legally in the UK but trapped in destitution. 

Asylum seekers often arrive at the asylum hostel with only the clothes on their backs. Soon a clothing store and food store developed. A request system with the hostel was established and donations of clothing and shoes flooded in.

Conversation cafes were set up around Wakefield to help asylum seekers and refugees learn English and make new friends. So successful was the venture that a new charity, Wakefield District City of Sanctuary, was registered in January 2020. 

Then came the pandemic, bringing many changes. It meant social isolation for many asylum seekers. The charity provided computer tablets in the hostel, giving residents free use. Internet cafes in the hotels followed in 2023. Digital inclusion is still high on our agenda. 

We also started free online English classes. Some of these first learners became online teachers themselves or joined our team of volunteers in Wakefield. The classes continue twice a day, every weekday.

In 2021 the charity moved to the church hall at St Michael’s church on Westgate now called “The Sanctuary” where it remains today. In 2023 the focus turned to developing a social space to encourage interaction and conversation in addition to delivering clothing and food. It is a social space offering signposting, problem-solving, support for English, and, above all, a place of welcome.