Three years after it was officially recognised by a national charity as a destination that welcomes and values the contribution of people seeking sanctuary, Lambeth has secured reaccreditation as a “Borough of Sanctuary” (BoS).
The council was first awarded BoS status in December 2022, for going above and beyond in supporting people seeking sanctuary living in Lambeth.
However, to remain a Borough of Sanctuary, councils must go through a reaccreditation process, carried out by the City of Sanctuary organisation, every three years.
As a part of this process, the council must produce an updated strategy, setting out the council’s vision and commitment to supporting those seeking sanctuary, so they can feel welcome, safe and able to access opportunities and the support required to thrive.
The council’s cabinet was last night [23 February] informed that, following a presentation in December, Lambeth’s application to renew its BoS status had been successful.
A report to the meeting said that the reaccreditation process had offered “an opportunity for the council to show its unwavering commitment to making Lambeth a borough of equity and justice”.
The Borough of Sanctuary Strategy 2025–2028, agreed by the Cabinet last night, said BoS status was about more than helping individuals seeking safety – but something that also “strengthens our whole community by celebrating diversity and promoting fairness and justice – values at the heart of Lambeth”.
The strategy is designed to align with Lambeth’s 2030 goal to be a borough of equity and justice – achieving this through:
- Better access to health, education, and employment
- Safer, decent accommodation
- Support for independent living and awareness of refugee rights.
Joint Cabinet Member for Healthier Communities, Cllr Nanda Manley-Browne, told the meeting: “Lambeth has been a place of sanctuary and opportunity for a very long time, and our Borough Plan makes that commitment very, very clear. We will not turn our back on those seeking safety, and we will continue to act as a borough of sanctuary in practice, not just in principle.
“This refreshed strategy has been shaped through real engagement with partners across the voluntary and statutory sector … and crucially through conversations with people seeking sanctuary themselves. Their experiences have directly shaped and impacted the priorities that are presented here today.”
Reaccreditation reflects Lambeth’s commitment to encouraging individuals and businesses in the borough to join the council in putting in place the principles of the City of Sanctuary. These include inclusivity, openness, working with people seeking sanctuary, and working “with enthusiasm and positivity and [being] determined to surpass what has already been achieved to welcome refugees and people seeking sanctuary”.
Lambeth’s strategy is split into six themes:
- Promoting Integration and Access to Accommodation
- Communication and Raising Awareness
- Providing Access to Education, Skills, and Employment
- Enhancing Health and Wellbeing
- Strengthening Safeguarding, and
- Supporting Young People.
Councillor David Bridson, who is also Joint Cabinet Member for Healthier Communities, said: “What’s really shown by this strategy is it’s not just a council strategy, it’s actually a strategy for the whole borough. Whether it’s library services, whether it’s schools, everyone across our neighbourhoods has come together to try and support these communities.
“The numbers speak for themselves: so whether it’s over 1,000 Ukrainian refugees that have come to the borough, whether it’s the resettlement of 32 Syrian families, whether it’s the 37 households that have come here from Afghanistan, all of that comes together to paint a diverse picture of what we’ve done in the borough.”
