Join us in making Winchester a City of Sanctuary this coming Refugee Week from 19th – 25th June. Let us know what events you are doing so we can share about them. See our news feed on our website for the latest updates about events running throughout the week locally or follow us on instagram or facebook.

Winchester City of Sanctuary is a voluntary run and led local community group that supports people seeking sanctuary. Our vision is that Winchester will be a welcoming place of safety for all and proud to offer sanctuary to people fleeing violence and persecution. We began in 2020 and are now working with a large number of local partners committed to our values, see below.

We help to provide support, dignity and welcome to refugees and people seeking sanctuary.We are part of a movement of welcome across the UK.

Winchester City of Sanctuary is a network of groups, organisations and individuals with the collective aim of working towards greater inclusion and equality for refugees and people seeking sanctuary, with emphasis on raising greater public awareness of the importance of sanctuary and building solidarity and support for those seeking sanctuary. We are an unincorporated association that is constituted. We are preparing to register as a CIO but we are not yet a registered charity.

We work closely with the Local Authority. Winchester City Council passed at motion at the end of 2021 to commit to becoming a City of Sanctuary and Council of Sanctuary. The work we are doing to part of a long-term plan to embed sanctuary throughout Winchester District to ensure we are a place of sanctuary now and long-term.


Our organisation and the wider City of Sanctuary network are committed to the following values:

We welcome and respect people from all backgrounds, place the highest value on diversity and are committed to equality.

We are committed to a culture of working collaboratively across the City of Sanctuary networks and in partnership with others.

We work with people seeking sanctuary and value and recognise the contribution of all. We aspire to ensure people seeking sanctuary are involved in all decision making at all levels and are supported to become leaders in the organisation, networks, and the wider movement.

We work with enthusiasm and positivity and are determined to surpass what has already been achieved to welcome refugees and people seeking sanctuary. We act as a catalyst for change by being open to new and innovative ideas and through sharing knowledge gained with others and working in partnership.

We aspire to high standards of honesty and behaviour, and always to act in the interests of people seeking sanctuary.

Click here to find out more about here the national City of Sanctuary movement. City of Sanctuary UK, our umbrella organisation is a registered charity ( registered charity, no. 1184613).

If you or your organisation would like to become affiliated with Winchester City of Sanctuary please email us at:  [email protected] to sign a pledge.

We are a coalition member of the Together with Refugees coalition calling for a kinder, fairer and more effective approach to supporting refugees in the UK.