By Jill Stocks
Horsforth Town of Sanctuary, a group of volunteers who help people seeking sanctuary in the area, held a Great Get Together event at St Margaret’s Church.
Those attending included invitees from the area as well as a number of men seeking sanctuary, who took part in a quiz icebreaker and then enjoyed food followed by a performance by local band Stroke of Genius.
In addition there were moving testimonies by two of the men seeking sanctuary who spoke about their experiences and expressed gratitude for the welcome they have received in Horsforth.
Rose McCarthy, founder of Horsforth Town of Sanctuary, said: “This Great Get Together was a precious moment in time when people from around the world came together in peace and saw each other as human beings rather than labels.
“Together we enjoyed a quiz drawing on knowledge from world travellers, international food, great music and dancing.
“The atmosphere was one of welcome, friendship and fun. It spread hope and reminded me that Jo Cox was right when she said ‘we have more in common than divides us’.”
Horsforth Town of Sanctuary received the Jo Cox Award in December at a ceremony at Leeds Civic Hall. The award was given in recognition of their work raising awareness and offering support to people seeking asylum and refugees.
Jane Linley, a volunteer for the group, said: “Just after Covid we started from a small group [at St Mary’s Church] and approached all the other churches in the area for help and they did through Horsforth Churches Together. Horsforth Town of Sanctuary came out of that.
“It’s about awareness raising and it’s about finding and supporting people who are coming into the community. And those people coming in taking their place as volunteers. It’s not about us giving to other people, it’s about them. What they can do to help in our community.
“One of the things that happens in St Margaret’s Church Hall is once a month there is a social where the men from the hotel have the opportunity to cook tea. And then we all sit down and eat together, volunteers and men from the hotel.
“It’s about being a more inclusive society. One thing is for people in the community meeting asylum seekers and realising that most of them are very genuine people here for very genuine reasons and who really want to be involved in the community and give back. They don’t want to be dependent on other people.”
Horsforth Town of Sanctuary are also linked to Leeds City of Sanctuary and the UK movement City of Sanctuary.
There are almost 200 asylum seekers living locally and various ways you can help the organisation. Horsforth Town of Sanctuary holds monthly meetings on the first Monday of every month at St Mary’s Church on Broadgate Lane between 5:30pm and 7pm which are open to anyone wishing to get involved.
Donations of various items are always welcome, particularly men’s clothing, new underwear and socks, laptops and phones, football boots and trainers, suitcases and backpacks and nail clippers, which can be dropped off on Mondays at Horsforth Community Cafe at St Margaret’s Parish Centre between 10am and 2pm.
As well as donations volunteers are always welcome at the various activities run by the organisation including football, Monday Conversation Club which helps people learning English and helping at clothing days.
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