St George's welcomes asylum seekers and refugees from all over the world. At present in the church we have around 20 asylum seekers and refugees worshipping with us. These are all people who have fled persecution because of their faith or their political ideas.

God is calling his Church to care for the needy, the destitute and the stranger and so St George’s is committed to care for asylum seekers who come to our church and our city. Our vision to help asylum seekers is three-fold:

The church offers a range of support to asylum seekers including pastoral care and mid-week home groups. St George's Crypt also has a drop-in for asylum seekers every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 3.30pm.

We would also encourage you to write to your MP or local newspaper about the injustices that many anylum seekers in our congregation and across the country face every day.

Asylum Voices
An asylum seeker worshipping at St George’s says: ‘I became an asylum seeker because I was tortured by being beaten for nine days before being sent to prison for 1 year because I didn't obey the religious laws in my country. When I escaped from prison I came to Britain in the back of a lorry because there was no other way to get to a safe place... I like the UK because I am now safe and I love my church because I have met many good people here who have helped me.’

An extract from an open letter from St George’s Church staff team to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Friday 15th April 2005: ‘We are aware of gross injustices to the majority of those who are genuinely seeking asylum in this country – inadequate legal representation, insufficient legal aid and destitution once support has been withdrawn. In addition we are seeing family being separated because of the Government’s current asylum policy.’

Church Protest
St George's also led a campaign for the rights of asylum seekers in the run up to the 2005 General Election which included an ecumenical protest meeting and an open letter from St George’s Church staff team published in the Yorkshire Post and in the Independent: ‘We are aware of gross injustices to the majority of those who are genuinely seeking asylum in this country – inadequate legal representation, insufficient legal aid and destitution once support has been withdrawn. In addition we are seeing family being separated because of the Government’s current asylum policy.’

Follow this link for the Refugee Council’s guide to the truth about asylum.

Click here for information and photos from the protest at Millennium Square in April 2005.

For further information please contact the Church Office on 0113 2438498.