Northumberland County of Sanctuary was established in October 2016, in response to the increase in the numbers of people seeking asylum arriving in Northumberland.
The work of the charity extends to other areas, however, and it has also responded to and helped co-ordinate a welcome to refugees from Ukraine.
We run Drop ins in Ashington and Blyth, on a Tuesday and Saturday in Ashington, and a Friday and Saturday in Blyth, and now Bedlington- on a Thursday.
We reach about 320 people on a regular basis. We have members who come every week, many of whom are also volunteers, who benefit from the social as well as practical support, and others who come for a specific reason, to speak to one of the many agencies now attending the Drop in.
The main purpose of the Drop ins to provide a welcome to all asylum seekers arriving in Northumberland. This we do by simply being there, greeting people, and offering refreshments of tea, coffee, juice and snacks, initially.
We also manage and distribute donations of clothes, bedding, toys, and household and electrical goods, (which are all PAT tested before being given out).
We also, very importantly, provide a hub where people can come for help, support and advice. NCOS volunteers cannot give advice, and probably our most valued service is the Red Cross presence.
Other agencies who support our members now have a regular presence at the Drop in:
Mears is the housing association which accommodates our members until they get Leave to Remain- or who lose their case, which means their support is stopped- sometimes temporarily until appeals or reviews get back on track. Increasingly NCOS is having to find ways of supporting people through these difficult times financially as well as with signposting to agencies who can help, but we are also continue to develop a positive relationship with the Mears team working on the ground, who support those they house and who really want the best for them in spite of the difficulties posed by a complex and unforgiving system where bureaucratic mistakes can cause great misery.
The Northumberland County Council Resettlement Team come every week, and give advice and support to those who receive Leave to Remain. (LTR).
They are now joined the Employability and Inclusion team at NCC, who is able to advise people with LTR on how to find employment- which they are usually desperate to do.
Northumberland Community Police have a strong presence at the Drop in, though they are unable to come every week. It has been so encouraging to see how getting to know individual officers has enabled our members to engage with the police that would be unthinkable in their home countries. The Community Safety team have also started to attend on a regular basis.
A recent development is the involvement of the Public Health Team, members of whom are planning to attend regularly also.
The development of these very productive relationships demonstrates the value of connecting personally, and we are delighted that this aspect of our service is being extended.
Obviously people’s situations are so complex that we cannot provide all support at the Drop in, but volunteers are able to sign post members to appropriate services. We have two volunteers who have close links with schools and with the Traveller, Refugee and Asylum team at Northumbria County Council.
We make referrals to the Food Bank when necessary, and we help with accessing GP, hospital, and dental appointment.
Our Saturday Drop ins are more relaxed, and we provide games, and craft activities, and refreshments. This is a chance for people to come together and socialise. It’s always good to see people from different countries and communities enjoying time with each other.
We have an art group on a Tuesday, after the Drop in- everyone is welcome, and no-one needs any pre-existing talent or even experience as an artist. We meet at the Northumberland Community and Volunteer Action Offices. It has been wonderful to see how people’s confidence and skills grow with practice. We also have some superb artists who were practising and experienced artists in their own countries. In June 2025 we held an exhibition of the group’s work, which was attended by Susan Dungworth, the Police and Crime Commissioner, Pauline Thompson, Civic Head, as well as other friends and families. It was a chance to celebrate the positive contribution of the asylum seeking community, as well as an occasion of celebration of the work itself.
Links with other charities, and the wider community in Ashington, continue to strengthen- there have been picnics and days of celebration with Full Circle, and we are joining the Hirst Welfare in planning activities in the run up to Christmas. The work of one of our artists is on display there currently and has apparently been much admired.
The link with NVCA has been invaluable- they have shared much advice and experience, and greatly enhanced our ability to network. Also a number of the artists have joined the NCVA photography group, giving additional opportunities to integrate with the local community.
– Quote from a person seeking sanctuary in Northumberland.
One of our volunteer members, represented NCOS at two high profile Northumbria Police events, having got involved through contributing a wonderful painting of a Sudanese king to Black History month. His painting was hung in the Foyer of their HQ, and we attended a Northumbria Police Ethnic Minority Association event there in November. Following this, Almothana was invited to a Northumbria Police Community Police Community Cohesion Breakfast at the Civic Hall, with Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth, in January of this year. Put in events?
One of our members is taking part in a project Lucia now involved in “Northumberland Experiences”, a project to find out what it is really like to live in Northumberland today, run by Newcastle University. She is now part of a group of local researchers and is receiving training for her new role.