LMC Awarded College of Sanctuary Award

Lancaster & Morecambe College (LMC) is proud to have been awarded FE College of Sanctuary (CoS) status, in recognition of the work it does to create a safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment for all of our students.  The award reflects the College's commitment to welcoming individuals who are seeking sanctuary from violence and persecution, providing support and guidance for them to access courses that will equip them with the skills, knowledge and qualifications to thrive in our community.

The accreditation is awarded by City of Sanctuary UK, a nationally coordinated network of organisations and services, including councils, schools, colleges, universities, and arts organisations that welcome and support refugees and people seeking asylum. There are currently 30 FE Colleges who been given the CoS award, and this means they've committed to providing support to young people seeking sanctuary in the UK, raise awareness of the issues facing people in the asylum system, challenge misconceptions and build social cohesion.

To celebrate achieving the CoS award, we held a lunch-time event on campus with staff, students, local councillors and community stakeholders, and shared information about the validation process.  Mary Sharples, LCC's Refugee Resettlement Commissioner, spoke about the partnership the College has developed with the Refugee Integration Team (RIT) including hosting the launch of a cookbook which was written by Ukrainian women who have been displaced due to the on-going war, and supporting a day of activities for young people who have been resettled across Lancashire.  

LMC's Vice Principal, Charlotte Rawes, attended the event and is proud of the recognition, which she feels reflects the College's values. 

At LMC we have always been committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment to enable learners seeking sanctuary to integrate into the community, access education, and take back control of their lives. Becoming a College of Sanctuary recognises and celebrates our ongoing work, while reinforcing our values of inclusiveness, collaboration, and aspiration.

The celebration of the College of Sanctuary Award coincided with LMC hosting Global Link's 'Escape to Safety' exhibition, which has been based on campus throughout the week. This multimedia learning resource allows participants to follow inthe footsteps of three refugees who came to Lancaster; one from Eritrea, one from Iran, and one from Sudan, all of whom have shared and recorded their own stories. Staff and students  had the opportunity to visit the exhibition and speak with the team about the realities that many asylum seekers and refugees face.  Gisela Renolds, Global Link's Executive Director, also spoke at the CoS event, outlining how LMC has supported hundreds of people to access English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses, helping them to then progress onto vocational and professional qualifications. 

LMC is committed to being a safe and nurturing place for all of our learners, and we will continue to work with local authorities and agencies who support displaced people, to ensure that we can help everyone within our community thrive and reach their potential.