Senior church leaders and representatives from the main Christian denominations have called for Yorkshire to be a region of Sanctuary for people escaping persecution and who are seeking protection in the UK.
The church leaders have a long record of supporting asylum seekers and refugees in their flight from terror abroad and their plight of destitution in this country.
In a statement issued out of the Thornbury Centre, Bradford, in a community with many people in need, West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council (WYEC) urged all churches in the region to take practical steps to promote a culture of hospitality and to become places of sanctuary and welcome for asylum seekers.
The full text of the statement is:
West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council recognises the contribution of asylum-seekers and refugees to the Yorkshire and Humber region, and is committed to welcoming and including them in our activities.
We support our communities, towns and cities becoming recognised places of Sanctuary for refugees and asylum seekers.
We call upon our churches to make this resolution their own, and to offer a positive vision of a culture of hospitality for those in need of safety; in particular:
· to express in prayer, word and action their own support for the City of Sanctuary movement across our region
· to take pride in offering a place of safety for people whose lives are threatened, and
· to celebrate the contribution they make to our communities, towns and cities.
The Revd. Dr Clive Barrett, Executive Secretary of WYEC, said that,
“Welcome and hospitality are at the heart of Christian life. Church leaders encourage everyone, especially local churches, to extend that welcome to people who come to us seeking safety.”
Background information
Within West Yorkshire:
Bradford, Huddersfield and Wakefield have already been declared towns and cities of Sanctuary. Leeds City of Sanctuary will be launched on 22 November.
Elsewhere in Yorkshire:
Sheffield, York and Hull are also associated with the City of Sanctuary movement.
West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council includes Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, United Reformed, Lutheran, Moravian, Quaker, Salvation Army and African Caribbean churches across the region.
Associated websites:
West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council: www.wyec.co.uk.
Yorkshire Sanctuary video: www.cityofsanctuary.com/film
Locally: www.cityofsanctuary.org/bradford; www.cityofsanctuary.org/huddersfield; www.cityofsanctuary.org/leeds; www.cityofsanctuary.org/wakefield
For further information contact Clive Barrett, West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council.
clivebarrett@wyec.co.uk; 0113 2618053
