City of Sanctuary

Bradford has been formally recognised as a ‘City of Sanctuary’ by the  national City of Sanctuary movement and is one of a number of cities across the UK. National recognition helps raise the profile of the city as being a safe and tolerant city where migrant communities can flourish.

Bradford Council was proud to be awarded the status of Local Authority of Sanctuary in December 2021.This award shows the Council’s commitment to celebrating diversity and equality and builds on our proud history of work with partners.

The Council is committed to building upon its existing work across departments, aligning them with the Council’s Equality Diversity and Inclusion Plan. This work has focused on District wide engagement with Refugee Week, an annual event designed to promote social integration within our communities to welcome refugees and people seeking asylum.

With the ethos of promoting equality of opportunities, the Council has integrated pathways for volunteering, English language attainment, education, employment support, and refugee training actively working with key partners.

The English Language Advice Hub was launched as part of the Integrated Communities Pilot in September 2020 and is an independent advice service, assisting individuals in locating ESOL courses and accessing free Information, Advice, and Guidance at accessible venues. It serves as a Single Point of Contact throughout the district.

In July 2023, the Local Authority of Sanctuary Steering Group was established. This group helps deliver the promises made in the Council’s application for the Local Authority of Sanctuary Award.

The Council’s commitment extends to guiding refugees and people seeking asylum on their journey to discover English language courses, volunteering and employment opportunities, connecting with Council services and voluntary sector organisations, and fully participating in the community.