CEQ Asylum Group share a time-sensitive action, asking Friends in Birmingham to write to local councillors.

A motion is due to be considered by Birmingham City Council this Tuesday (14 July) proposing that the council withdraw from its Council of Sanctuary commitment. The text of the motion is available in the published papers for the Full Council Meeting.

Birmingham City of Sanctuary Group (BCoS) would like to encourage you to contact your local councillors ahead of the meeting and share why it matters that Birmingham Council remains active in sanctuary work. Councillors listen to residents, and hearing directly from people in their wards can make a real difference. If you’re not sure how to contact your local councillor, you can do so via Write to Them.

As the motion has been proposed by one political group, we suggest focusing on councillors who will be considering their position ahead of the debate. Personal messages from residents are likely to have the greatest impact. If you have your own experience of being welcomed to the city, please also include why that was important.

You can request a suggested letter from info@birmingham.cityofsanctuary.org

You may wish to use this template as a starting point, but please do personalise it and share your own experiences and reasons for supporting this work. Please also share this with friends, acquaintances and colleagues who you think would share our concern.

For those connected with Schools of Sanctuary, please note this is not a request for schools to take a position or become involved. This is simply an opportunity for individuals, in their personal capacity as Birmingham residents, to contact their elected representatives if they wish to do so.

If you do write to your councillors, please let BCoS know so we have a sense of the number of residents engaging on this issue.