The hand of friendship
Jan Arriens and Linda Murray Hale write about a City of Sanctuary event
Picture a small car park on top of a hill near Montgomery Castle in Powys. The trees are in glorious autumn colours, the sunlight filtering through. A woman from Morocco with two small children is waiting as the Quaker ‘reception committee’ arrives. The children hide shyly behind their mother.
The family are part of a group of some twenty refugees and asylum seekers from Wolverhampton who are spending a day in and around Bishop’s Castle at the invitation of Clun Valley Quaker Meeting. The City of Sanctuary movement in Wolverhampton has organised transport in the form of two cars and a minibus. We explore the ruins of the castle, which was demolished in the English civil war. Why were Charles I and parliament fighting, and how did this lead to democracy? Was this why the United States later decided to become a republic? How did Quakerism arise out of the religious conflict at that time? We did our best to answer – often haltingly in French, as nearly all the visitors are from francophone Africa (Morocco, the Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi).
The children run about on the grassy slopes whilst adults admire the stunning views. ‘You are lucky to live in such a beautiful place,’ a young woman remarks and ‘It’s good to be out of the city,’ says another. Then it is time to board the minibus again for the short journey to the Church Barn in Bishop’s Castle. Lunch is followed by live music, courtesy of a young local accordionist, and any remaining ice is well and truly broken with a game of pass the parcel, accompanied by much excitement and laughter! A little girl wins a soft toy and breaks into a huge grin.
The sun is still shining and some set out for a tour of the town. The eighteenth-century magistrate’s bench in the Town Hall attracts their attention, as do the stocks and former prison cell in the basement. Some of the staff tell the visitors about a mysterious African’s grave in the churchyard. It is dated 1801 and has links to the abolition of slavery. We find the headstone and take photographs.
Back at the Church Barn afternoon tea with scones and cake is served with the help of friends from the local parish church. The two Moroccan children experiment happily with the piano whilst others sit on the floor busy with toys and jigsaws.
The adults, hosts and guests, sit and talk. We hear about their cramped and shared accommodation, the loneliness, the undermining uncertainty as to their futures, the fact that they are not allowed to work, and the lack of money. Most of them have never been out of Wolverhampton before. There simply isn’t money to spare for bus and train fares. We are struck by their courage and dignity: these are fine people, whom we would gladly welcome into our community.
But now it’s late afternoon and it’s time to say goodbye. It takes a while because the guests want to thank all their hosts individually. All the children are presented with a gift of a picture book. Some of the tiny ones are already half asleep but group photos have to be taken. We wave goodbye and agree the event must be repeated.
‘We all had the best time,’ one of the key people emails us afterwards. ‘I was in trouble with the people I didn’t invite because they heard all about it.’
The City of Sanctuary movement originated in Sheffield in 2005 with the aim of spreading a message of welcome and inclusion to refugees and asylum seekers in the city. The movement seeks to emphasise their contributions to the community and to create opportunities for local people to meet and form relationships with those seeking sanctuary.
Currently, there are more than sixty City of Sanctuary initiatives across the UK and Ireland.
Further information: info@cityofsanctuary.org
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