The Nottingham City of Sanctuary group held their first open day event for people to find out about the movement, with food and a performance of South African freedom songs by a local choir at The Vine Centre, Hyson Green.
Craig Barnett, the national organiser, introduced the movement.
"This is the start of your movement to make Nottingham a City of Sanctuary - that takes pride in being a place of safety for people whose lives have been uprooted by war and persecution. It is a very ambitious goal, to encourage all of Nottingham's communities, faith groups, schools, businesses and local government to take responsibility for being a welcoming and safe place for people in need of sanctuary. But a city that welcomes and includes people seeking sanctuary is a better place for everyone to live in - it will also be safer and more welcoming for anyone who is newly arrived, vulnerable or at riskof isolation.
"Working to become a City of Sanctuary is a way for all the different communities, faith and cultural groups of Nottingham to unite around a positive vision for your city. It is also a way to enable people seeking sanctuary here to contribute their skills and talents to the life of the city."
Two local refugees described how they respond positively to seeking sanctuary in Nottingham and people told us why they had come and how they could help.
