Created to recognise ‘outstanding individuals and organisations’, the yearly Leeds Compassionate City Awards were organised by the City Council at the Civic Hall earlier this month. The city celebrated the unsung heroes who go above and beyond to help make it a special place to live and work, as well as showcasing the best Leeds has to offer in nine different categories. Leeds City Council launched the awards in 2017.
Horsforth Town of Sanctuary won the Jo Cox Award at the Leeds Compassionate City Awards. Linked to Leeds City of Sanctuary and part of the UK nationwide City of Sanctuary movement, the Horsforth Town of Sanctuary is one of the six projects run by Horsforth Churches Together. This project facilitates support, dignity and welcome for refugees and people seeking sanctuary.
The men are eager to contribute to the community as much as they receive. In addition to working with homeless organisations, charity shops, refugee agencies, and other organisations, some of them volunteer at local projects like Horsforth Shed. To increase awareness of the actual circumstances encountered by those seeking asylum, some people have the courage to collaborate with volunteers to share their personal tales in community groups and schools.
The City of Sanctuary Maternity Group chaired by Rose McCarthy received a Highly Recommended Award for its work. This award was given in recognition of the wide-ranging work the diverse group has done to raise awareness in the community and offer support to refugees and people seeking asylum.
Teary tale of transition
“I’m sorry for entering your country illegally”, sighed one of the refugees, Mohsen, as he began his five-minute speech at the Leeds Compassionate City Awards. Mohsen has been in the UK since 2023 and has been voluntarily helping the Horsforth Town of Sanctuary while he waits for his decision from the government.
Hiding for three months in his hometown in Iran after the government attacked his home and froze all his bank accounts, he was left with no choice but to flee. “You need to remain a Muslim in Iran. It’s illegal to change religious beliefs”, he reflected.
Mohsen’s change of religious belief in 2018 had been his secret for nearly half a decade. After suspicions arose when his house was raided, all his documents were confiscated. Despite being financially well off, he had to make the difficult decision to leave everything behind in order to save his life. He eventually arrived on the south coast of the UK, via France.
“They kept me in different camps for six days and I was finally sent to Leeds. I had come here with nothing. I had lost everything, including my confidence, and the Horsforth Sanctuary helped me get back on track. I have seen both sides of life and love this side. I didn’t have much money then but now I feel loved and supported and cared for. Can’t put a price on all these things”, he smiled.
Mohsen stays with 180 people in the hotel and is still waiting for the decision on his leave to remain. To remain positive, he stays out and does as much voluntary work as possible as he wishes to give back to the people who have helped him rebuild his life.
The inception of this project was in partnership with Our Lady of Kirkstall Catholic Parish and now it’s part of Horsforth Chaplaincy Project. The support provided to the asylum seekers includes weekly English-speaking classes, advocacy and assistance in obtaining services in the Leeds area. Other activities include monthly social nights, free football sessions, regular clothing distributions, help with transport within Leeds, trips to the Dales, Yorkshire Cricket, and central Leeds and local walks, to mention a few.
Other awards
Horsforth Newlaithes Primary school’s PTA charity received a fund of £8,000 from Morrisons Foundation for the development of therapeutic classrooms and learning spaces, as the school has witnessed a rise in the number of neurodivergent children, and aims to move towards a therapeutic approach.
Foster 4 Leeds foster carer Janet Wilcock was recognised for her tireless work in fostering babies born with addiction. She won the Unsung Hero of the Year award for fostering 70 babies born addicted to drugs or alcohol. She fosters the addicted children right after their birth for a couple of years, and then these kids are often given up for adoption.
The Diversity Project of the Year was bagged by Happy Tears Foundation, while Yorkshire and Humber Maternity Stream of Sanctuary was highly recommended. Hawa Bah won the Health and Wellbeing Project of the Year. Coffee Pot Memory Café and Breastfeeding Peer Support Service were highly recommended. Farsley Celtic Deaf FC was awarded the Community Sports Project of the Year while Recovery Runners Community was highly recommended.
Community Organisation or Project of the Year was won by Getting Clean CIC. Armley Youth Space and Women Friendly Leeds were highly recommended. Hyde Park Source and Bev Yearwood won Environmental Achievement of the Year and Fundraising Achievement of the Year awards respectively. Seacroft Community Forest Garden and Andrew Hobson, James Tortice were highly recommended for the two awards.
Finally, Tom Riordan received the Special Recognition Award and Alan Hunter received the award for Unsung Sporting Hero of the Year.
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