Supporting newcomers to our city and district is the founding principle of City of Sanctuary. It involves two broad activities welcoming and befriending arrivals, with a special emphasis on refugees and other displaced people; and challenging the fearful and negative stereotypes of incomers as threats and burdens.
Migrants, both internal and external, willing and enforced, bring us so many things to treasure, new ideas, new cultures, fresh perspectives. Can you imagine a successful company or a winning sports team that doesn’t encourage - and need new blood as much as it requires and values its old stalwarts ?
So it is with communities, and we are proud that this message is heard in high places - the leader of Burntwood Town Council, the current mayor and the next sheriff of Lichfield are all committed members of Lichfield District City of Sanctuary. But there is much to do. The decades-long shortage of affordable housing, the focus on expensive homes for the retired and expenditure on city-centre ‘amenities’ continue to bedevil opportunities to develop vibrant new communities.
Our collective vision is to challenge and disprove the view that newcomers are a threat. We also deny that inward migration is a new and growing menace. Statistics show that we are among the meanest of European countries in accepting people from war zones, famine and terror. Nevertheless, the British Isles have been the final stopping place for westward-bound travellers for thousands of years. Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Scandinavians, Normans, Huguenots (one of my own origins), Jews, Irish, Africans, African-Caribbeans, South Asians, and most recently, Ukrainians and Hong Kong Chinese have contributed to our bloodlines, boosted our economy, brought new skills and inventions, and given colour to our lives.
Above all, perhaps, is the worldwide ethic of hospitality. Hostility, fed sadly by much of our government and our media, leads to fear and hatred. But hospitality - the range of hospitality provided by our community here - springs from kindness, generosity and respect. That is what City of Sanctuary displays, encourages and enables. And, of course, hospitality is much more fun than hostility!
Thank you for all you do. If you would like to be even more engaged with our work, we always welcome members to our Action Group and we have vacancies for Trustees to join our Board. Please ask for details
Nigel Gann