NEWSLETTER November 2023
Dear Supporter
Thank you once again for supporting us.
Our core group consists of volunteers from the Craven area plus representatives from North Yorkshire Council and the Library Service. We have been busy and have just updated our Action Plan. If you would like to see a copy you are welcome.
We have been very pleased with the response to requests for pledges of support and currently have 31 online, with an interesting mix of arts and culture organisations, charities and businesses https://craven.cityofsanctuary.org/pledges/
Here are some quotes from the responses we’ve had:
“(We)would like to pledge our support to this and agree with the organisation’s values of Inclusivity, Openness, Participation, Inspiration and integrity, especially as they align with our own core values”
“It is wonderful to know that since February of this year, Craven has formally been known as a District of Sanctuary. (our organisation) certainly shares the same/similar values and I am happy to pledge my support”
“This is great. We are really interested in being a School of Sanctuary so we would be happy to do this”
Work with Schools is ongoing with some new, enthusiastic volunteers who have been trained to support schools who wish to work towards recognition as a School of Sanctuary. There are currently two in Craven with some more in the pipeline. Please make contact if you are interested in discussing this: [email protected] or contact our Chair Chris Rose [email protected]
Holocaust Memorial Day is on January 27th and we would like to mark this. If you are interested in helping to plan an activity do, please, get in touch. We would like to work collaboratively if we can. Last year we held the first vigil in Skipton to mark the day. There are activities for schools available if you want to look at the website https://www.hmd.org.uk/ Libraries will be arranging displays. Genocides remembered are those in Darfur, Bosnia, Cambodia , Rwanda and the holocaust of World War 2 which included Jewish people, gay people, Roma, trade unionists and anyone disagreeing with the Nazi regime in Germany at the time https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/nazi-persecution/
We are very happy that the North Yorkshire Library Service achieved Library Service of Sanctuary status this year. The award was presented recently in Ripon library by Sara Trewhitt from City of Sanctuary, to Councillor Simon Myers, Executive member for Culture, Arts and Housing for North Yorkshire Council. Congratulations to everyone in North Yorkshire libraries on this magnificent achievement.
City of Sanctuary events -there are always relevant events online that are available if you wish to register for them https://cityofsanctuary.org/events/ If you sign up for the regular newsletters, forthcoming training and events are listed there. Some are informal discussions where ideas are shared, others are more formal presentations on a variety of subjects. If you are interested in a particular stream of work, such as Arts or Schools, you will find specific sessions on those. There are currently some sessions to help people to put across arguments in favour of sanctuary and support for refugees.
Finally, there was a new pop-up children’s book, ‘Lift the Flap Questions and Answers about Refugees’ published this year. It was written by local author Katie Daynes and Ashe de Sousa, assisted by Fiona Protheroe and illustrated by Oksana Drachkovska. It is considered helpful no matter what age you are.
Katie was at Ripon library for the presentation event
with very best wishes and thank you for your support
Craven District of Sanctuary Core Team