Council of Sanctuary Award
The Council has been awarded the accreditation of Council of Sanctuary by the charity, City of Sanctuary UK. The accreditation recognises local authorities and other places of sanctuary that go above and beyond to welcome people fleeing conflict seeking a safe place to live and thrive.
Cheshire West and Chester Council promotes a culture of welcome and hospitality for those seeking sanctuary in the United Kingdom through support for integration activities, events in the community, and working with voluntary, community and faith organisations.
The Council has also shown its commitment to supporting those seeking sanctuary by ensuring its own services are accessible and welcoming to all people regardless of their background.
A Council motion was unanimously passed at full Council in October 2021 to commit to making Cheshire West and Chester a Borough of Sanctuary. This accreditation is a key step to making the borough a place of welcome for those seeking sanctuary, working alongside other key partners and other “places of sanctuary”, such as schools, colleges, and places of worship, amongst others. This will enable Cheshire West and Chester to be recognised as a borough proud of its diversity and history of welcoming people from across the world to settle here. In our desire to make Cheshire West and Chester a Borough of Sanctuary, the Council and its partners will work to the following principles:
Our Vision
The Council and its partners aim to make Cheshire West and Chester a welcoming place for those fleeing war, conflict and persecution.
Our Values
This vision is underpinned by five key values as outlined below:
- Inclusiveness - We will work to ensure that people from all backgrounds are not excluded or marginalised.
- Openness - We are committed to a culture of working collaboratively within the network and in partnership with others.
- Participation - We will ensure that those seeking sanctuary will have their voices heard, are involved in decision making processes and are supported to become leaders within the sanctuary network.
- Inspiring - We will work with partners to inspire a culture of welcome and positivity. We work collectively to inspire those seeking sanctuary to achieve the best for them and their families.
- Integrity - We will work with partners to ensure a high quality of service provision by sharing knowledge, expertise and best practice.
The Council will continue to work with key partners and other places of sanctuary within Cheshire West and Chester and continue to help and support those seeking sanctuary coming into our Borough. This aspect of the work is being underpinned by a Borough of Sanctuary Strategy and action plan.