Visit from the Leader of Newcastle City Council

This week, we were delighted to welcome Cllr Karen Kilgour, the Leader of Newcastle City Council, to WERS. As the first woman to lead the council, her visit marked an important moment of connection between local leadership and our work supporting refugees and people seeking asylum across the North East.

Cllr Kilgour joined our weekly Welcome Session with Cllr Abdul Samad, the Cabinet Member for Culture, Music and Arts, who holds the portfolio for City of Sanctuary. We had meaningful discussions about what it means for Newcastle to be a City of Sanctuary and explored opportunities for further collaboration.

During her visit, Cllr Kilgour met our Chair of the Board, Alice Mason, and Trustee Simon Elliott, and also engaged in meaningful conversations with Dr. Khadija Elhag and Karlie Toame (PGR), two members of our Advisory Panel and Campaigns Group.

Khadija shared her perspective on the importance of granting people seeking asylum the Right to Work, highlighting how this would allow people seeking asylum to contribute to society while building independence and dignity. Meanwhile, Karlie spoke powerfully about the rhetoric surrounding migration, emphasizing the need to challenge harmful narratives and focus on truth and solidarity.

This visit reaffirmed the importance of working together with local leadership to support and empower our community.

Thank you, Cllr Kilgour and Cllr Samad, for your time, insight, and commitment to making Newcastle a truly welcoming city for all.