Round up: Safe Harbour - Refugee Week — Ascension Church Hulme

During Refugee Week in June we hosted a series of events called ‘Safe Harbour’ at the Ascension Church and welcomed over 250 people to the church. We wanted to remember those who are seeking sanctuary.

We are thankful to funding from the National Lottery Awards for All, the Imagine Foundation and the University of Manchester, all of which which made this event possible.

It was a wonderful week where we welcomed people from a number of different groups and backgrounds including schools, community groups, a theatre group, singers, musicians, poets, a beatboxer and local campaigners.

Lynda from OT Creative Space, a community arts hub in Old Trafford, helped us create an amazing giant boat made from wood and plastic bags woven together. Throughout the week we also contributed to a world map of what home meant to us and wrote and doodled letters ‘home’ on paper boats. Lots of groups contributed tot he artwork including South Manchester Food Bank, Venture Arts (learning disabled artists), the Sunday Sanctuary congregation and ACCG (African Caribbean Care Group).

Credit: Lynda Sterling
Community art project with OT Creative Space creating a wooden boat made out of threaded, recycled plastic bags.

Credit: Anna France-Williams
Community art project with OT Creative Space creating a wooden boat made out of threaded, recycled plastic bags.

Credit: Rachel Bywater
Community art project with OT Creative Space creating a map of 'home'.

Credit: Lynda Sterling
Community art project with OT Creative Space writing a letter home.

On the Sunday we invited lawyer and poet David Neita to lead a Windrush celebration as part of our Eucharist service. We enjoyed ‘Uplift’, a one-man drama performance and series of poems on Windrush. Over 100 people attended and we enjoyed a delicious Caribbean meal together.

Credit: Anna France-Williams
Lawyer and poet David Neita leads a Windrush celebration as part of our Eucharist service.

Credit: Anna France-Williams
Lawyer and poet David Neita leads Uplift, a one-person show about Windrush.

Credit: Anna France-Williams
Father Azariah France-Williams at the Windrush celebration as part of our Eucharist service.

Credit: Anna France-Williams
Lunch after the Windrush service.

There was music, dancing, circus skills and Ethiopian food at the Our Planet, Our Home world music event on Wednesday evening. It was a joy to see over 60 people participating in activities such as the interactive workshops. The smell of Ethiopian coffee beans filled the sanctuary space!

Credit: Rachel Bywater
Our Planet, Our Home world music event

Ascension has a history of being a place of sanctuary. The church hosted Sri Lankan Viraj Mendis in the 1980s and is connected to the campaign against his deportation. Our Radical Reading Room collective hosted a fascinating event on the Thursday which brought people together to share stories about the campaign.

Father Azariah speaks at 'Stories of Sanctuary', an event hosted by the Radical Reading Room with a collection of artwork, photos, records and stories about the Viraj Mendis Defence Campaign and sanctuary.

Credit: Rachel Bywater
Conversations during 'Stories of Sanctuary', an event hosted by the Radical Reading Room with a collection of artwork, photos, records and stories about the Viraj Mendis Defence Campaign and sanctuary.

Credit: Azariah France-Williams
'Stories of Sanctuary', an event hosted by the Radical Reading Room with a collection of artwork, photos, records and stories about the Viraj Mendis Defence Campaign and sanctuary.

On Friday we hosted Venture Arts, learning disabled artists, who came to the church to engage in beatboxing with award-winning beatboxer Testament and puppet-making with Goofus Theatre.

Then, in the evening, we were delighted to be able to invite people to a Conversation Cafe for those wanting to improve their English. Conversations were buzzing as people talked about food and enjoyed eating together. Damien Mahoney from Soul Sounds led the group in some beautiful natural voice singing and the evening ended with communal beatboxing with Testament.