Winchester City of Sanctuary

07/10/2026

We are currently looking for several Welcome Walk volunteers to help us to run Welcome Walks locally to support people seeking sanctuary to navigate their way around our local area.

If you are interested in volunteering with us in this role please contact us via [email protected] to find out more and we can send you a role description.

Experience of supporting people seeking sanctuary is desirable but not essential. We ask that you are fit and well as a volunteer to enable you to safely lead others on walks.

We will provide access to local first aid training to our walk leads and safeguarding training to all our volunteers.

We actively encourage people with lived experience of sanctuary to apply for this role, especially if you have been here for some time already and are familiar with the local area.

We are looking for two walk leads (to coordinate the walks and support admin) and several other volunteers to support them so we have enough volunteers to rotate and support each other.

This volunteer role should be 6 hours maximum a month, based in the city centre and will depend on need locally. Ideally, volunteers will be available around 10-1pm on walk days but we can be flexible around school holidays as we understand people have commitments. Volunteer days are flexible and to be confirmed depending on volunteer availability.

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We are currently looking for several Welcome Walk volunteers to help us to run Welcome Walks locally to support people seeking sanctuary to navigate their way around our local area. If you are interested in volunteering with us in this new role please contact us via [email protected] to find out more.

Experience of supporting people seeking sanctuary is desirable but not essential. We ask that you are fit and well as a volunteer to enable you to safely lead others on walks.

We will provide first aid training to our walk leads and safeguarding training to all our volunteers.

We actively encourage people with lived experience of sanctuary to apply for this role, especially if you have been here for some time already and are familiar with the local area. We are looking for two walk leads (to coordinate the walks and support admin) and several other volunteers to support them so we have enough volunteers to rotate and support each other. This volunteer role should be 6 hours maximum a month, based in the city centre and will depend on need locally. Ideally, volunteers will be available around 10-1pm on walk days but we can be flexible around school holidays as we understand people have commitments. Volunteer days are flexible and to be confirmed depending on volunteer availability.

07/10/2026

Our local Sport in Mind group are very welcoming. We are very lucky to have them in our local area. The timetable for October is attached.

There is yoga and badminton activities on in Wi******er in October that are free to access to support people with their mental health and wellbeing.

You can also see activities in your local area via the Sport in Mind activity map available here https://www.sportinmind.org/find-an-activity

07/10/2026

Could you be our next Volunteer Treasurer Trustee? We are currently looking for our next Volunteer Treasurer Trustee. The deadline for applying is 30th October 2026. If you are interested please contact us at [email protected] and we can send you the advert and role description.

Please note: You do not need to be a qualified accountant to apply.

Ideally, we are looking for someone with experience of budgeting, bookkeeping, financial oversight or governance for a CIO or small charity.

A handover from our current treasurer and support will be provided.

Informal conversations are welcomed before applying. To apply please send the following to [email protected]:

- A CV or LinkedIn profile;
- A supporting statement of no more than 500 words explaining: your relevant experience; your interest in Wi******er City of Sanctuary; and how you could contribute as Treasurer Trustee;
- The names and contact details of two referees, ideally one professional and one personal. If you cannot provide these please contact us to discuss.

07/10/2026

Please let us know what you are planning during Inter Faith Week from 8th - 15th November in your local community. We stand stronger Together With Refugees and anyone seeking sanctuary. ******erycityofsanctuary

Week of action alert! 🧡

Stronger Together for Inter Faith Week takes place from 8-15 November to celebrate the connections made across faiths and communities when we welcome refugees. Let's show the real story in our communities - one of unity and friendship. Because together, we are stronger 🧡

Be part of it, save the date!

07/10/2026

City of Sanctuary is about creating welcome, offering support, and standing in solidarity with people seeking sanctuary.

But welcome alone is not enough. To create lasting change, we need to understand how the asylum system works, and why it produces unequal experiences for people on the move.

To stand in genuine solidarity, the work at City of Sanctuary must go deeper – into the systems, decisions, and structures that shape today’s realities.

City of Sanctuary has developed this fantastic guide.
Start here: Why Justice Matters for Sanctuary.

This change-maker guide helps you explore the bigger picture behind the asylum system and why justice is essential for meaningful, lasting change. It is designed to support reflection, learning, and action – whatever stage your group is at.

******ercityofsanctuary

06/07/2026

There are lots of fantastic resources at the libraries across Hampshire celebrating South Asian Heritage Month. Commemorate, Educate and Celebrate South Asian culture in our communities.

Celebrate. Commemorate. Educate. South Asian Heritage Month is a nationally observed programme bringing communities, institutions and individuals together to explore, celebrate and deepen understanding of South Asian heritage across the UK and beyond.

Browse our bookshelves on BorrowBox: https://hampshire.borrowbox.com/product-group/48636/south-asian-heritage-month
and our catalogue: https://hampshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?QRY=SVL(JUL26SAH)&SORTS=SQL_RANDOM&QRYTEXT=South%20Asian%20Heritage%20Month&NRECS=12

06/07/2026

Check out Southampton Mela Festival. This fantastic free family friendly festival has been running for over two decades. It attracts international artists with a fusion of music, dance and family activities. The Southampton Mela Festival dates for 2026 are Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th July, from 12pm on both days. Follow Southampton Mela Festival for more details.

06/07/2026

Join SWVG and Southampton Stand Up To Racism for their Unity in the Community Refugee Celebration on Sunday 12th July in Southampton. Details below. Please share with others and show your support for refugees in our local community.

Refugee Week celebrations continue into July with a 'Unity in the Community' march around Southampton this Sunday! Everyone welcome
Southampton Stand Up To Racism

06/07/2026

We are currently looking for Welcome Walk volunteers to support our Welcome Walk project over the coming months. We will be running training over the summer so please get in touch.

If you would be interested in leading or supporting a Welcome Walk for people seeking sanctuary locally in Wi******er, please contact us at [email protected] to express your interest and we can share more details with you. We are looking for volunteers willing to commit to running sessions twice a month. Ideally long-term volunteers as Welcome Walk leads will need to undertake first aid training.

.
We are currently looking for several Welcome Walk volunteers to help us to run Welcome Walks locally to support people seeking sanctuary to navigate their way around our local area. If you are interested in volunteering with us in this new role please contact us via [email protected] to find out more.

Experience of supporting people seeking sanctuary is desirable but not essential. We ask that you are fit and well as a volunteer to enable you to safely lead others on walks.

We will provide first aid training to our walk leads and safeguarding training to all our volunteers.

We actively encourage people with lived experience of sanctuary to apply for this role, especially if you have been here for some time already and are familiar with the local area. We are looking for two walk leads (to coordinate the walks and support admin) and several other volunteers to support them so we have enough volunteers to rotate and support each other. This volunteer role should be 6 hours maximum a month, based in the city centre and will depend on need locally. Ideally, volunteers will be available around 10-1pm on walk days but we can be flexible around school holidays as we understand people have commitments. Volunteer days are flexible and to be confirmed depending on volunteer availability.

20/06/2026

This World Refugee Day and this Refugee Week a small reminder that there are some very simple acts you can do this weekend and beyond to show your support for people seeking sanctuary everywhere and to make a difference.

If we do nothing then nothing changes.

If we do something, even something small, it can make all the difference.

Simple acts have the power to change lives.

The theme this year for Refugee Week 2026 is courage. At a time when some seek to divide and blame, Refugee Week 2026 calls us to come together and share the courage to welcome, to stand for what we believe in, and to celebrate culture and community – to be joyful, imagine new possibilities, dream, heal, and connect.

Courage isn’t always loud or bold. It can be found in simple acts: opening your door to a neighbour, trying new food, reading a book, or watching a film that changes your view of the world. It can be speaking up, asking for help, sharing your story – or simply having the courage to be yourself.

Through art, stories, and community, we celebrate the courage that lives within us all – and how connection helps it grow.