Founded in December 2016, Northumberland Country of Sanctuary (NCoS) emerged in response to a significant change in Northumberland’s demographic landscape. For the first time, people seeking sanctuary were being housed in the county, primarily in the southeast region including Ashington, Blyth, and surrounding former mining communities.
Prior to this development, no people seeking sanctuary had been placed north of Newcastle upon Tyne. This shift brought people from diverse global backgrounds into one of England’s least multicultural areas. Despite the sudden change, Northumberland residents have time and time again demonstrated compassion and hospitality.
NCoS was established with a dual mission: to welcome and support newcomers seeking sanctuary while creating spaces for local communities to share and grow through new cultural exchanges. Working in partnership with the Red Cross, which provides specialised asylum advice, NCoS focuses on connecting people with available resources and opportunities.
What began as a modest initiative has grown substantially. Today, NCoS maintains contact with over 300 individuals navigating the asylum process. This increasing demand has prompted the organisation to develop expansion plans to better address the growing needs.
Those wishing to contribute to NCoS’s mission can explore volunteer opportunities or make donations. We are incredibly grateful for your support.
“Refugee is a person who has to work hard to integrate into community and at the same time he is trying to keep his own language and culture. Refugee is a person who lives two lives at once: in one he lives in his mind constantly pining for the past and so many simple little things and in second one he lives like a baby – afraid, learning, failing, crying, trying again and hoping.”
– Quote from a person seeking sanctuary in Northumberland.