Mary Brandon

Campaigning with Asylum Matters in Yorkshire & Humber. Volunteer with Leeds CoS and proud board member of Mafwa Theatre!

[SYMAAG @SYMAAG]

Heba is a young Palestinian student facing a dire situation in her home country, currently engulfed by Israel's genocide.
Help Heba start her degree in Advanced Computer Science at University of Sheffield.
@sheffielduni won't support her so we will!

https://t.co/gHucdXumuZ

[Lou Calvey @LouCalvey]

Virginia is one of the bravest & most inspiring people I’ve met. Refused asylum despite enduring brutal abuse in her home country as a woman in a relationship with a woman. Surviving years in poverty in the UK.

Please do sign & share her petition to stay. https://t.co/oDNWBeqGNk

[Asylum Matters @AsylumMatters]

Last night marked a truly dark moment in British history.

In defiance of international law and the Supreme Court, Government passed the #RwandaBill to dehumanise and violently deport sanctuary seekers to an unsafe place.

We will still #FightTheAntiRefugeeLaws 🧡✊

[JCWI (Follow us on Bluesky @jcwi-uk.bsky.social) @JCWI_UK]

Everyone deserves the right to live and thrive, regardless of their immigration status.
Congrats to Spain for this crucial victory for undocumented people!
The UK must follow suit and create a humane migration system with a simple route to regularisation.
https://t.co/i1k87Nm0zp

[. @LouiseRawAuthor]

Today is #DinaAliDay.

This day in 2017, Dina vanished off the face of the earth

Who is she?
Every woman who ever tried to flee abuse; everyone who ever wanted freedom.
She SO nearly made it;
but powerful men conspired against her.

Then people just…forgot.

But I can’t.
1/8

[City of Sanctuary LS @LeedsCityofSanc]

Great to meet with @alexsobel to discuss removing the harmful & inhumane ban on working for people seeking asylum.

Alex has supported the #LiftTheBan campaign from the start in 2018.

Thanks for your help Alex, looking forward to welcoming you to our next event in May!

[Rose McCarthy @RoseatMcCarthy]

So Proud of SGT, a group formed by and run by people seeking Sanctuary. They have suffered to find safety & now truly value life & enrich all our lives with their incredible talents. Please vote for them #RefugeesWelcome @CityofSanctuary @maternity_CofS @LeedsCityofSanc

[Sanctuary Got Talents @S4nctuary_GT]

We are very surprised yet pleased by this nomination by somebody (Thank You) which we think acknowledges our passion in making people who seeking sanctuary feeling valued and seen by sharing our uniqueness of talents and cultural diversities on stages/platforms in our local communities as well as all over UK.

It's not only our dream to win this award, but it will represent all dreams and hope of all people who are seeking sanctuary in the UK and the whole world, too.

A place where we can call HOME - Sanctuary Got Talents!

Your vote is important to us.
Click the link below for your vote 📷
https://t.co/O1yoImq7K0

[Benny Hunter @BennnyH]

Hard not to compare the police response to the acid attack yesterday to this against a teenager in south London:

The attacker of this teen is still large. Police took no witness statements, got a single piece of CCTV footage. Where was the investigation?

https://t.co/tmfP86RfIk

[Asylum Matters @AsylumMatters]

The #RwandaBill rips basic human rights away from those seeking safety in the UK, puts everyone else’s rights at risk and places govt above the law.
As the bill enters House of Lords today, we — along with 250+ organisations — call on them to reject it.
https://t.co/DYcy1Ydj7M

[Alison Phipps አሊሰን 🧡🕊️ @alison_phipps]

“Life. Just life”

The dignity in this delivery is astounding in the face of such hypocrisy and amongst states killing thousands of his people.

[Asylum Matters @AsylumMatters]

Our very own @MaryLBrandon on @itvnews last week talking about RAF Scampton and urging the Government to ensure people seeking safety are housed in #CommunitiesNotCamps

[City of Sanctuary LS @LeedsCityofSanc]

We are #lifttheban team Leeds West Yorkshire were very delighted to be part of neighbour team Sheffield South Yorkshire today for their big event at Sheffield town hall. We had a delicious lunch a.k.a visit at our 1st City of Sanctuary UK in Sheffield office too😍

[Mary Brandon @MaryLBrandon]

Thank you for having us Sheffield! Can’t wait to do our own Lift the Ban event in Leeds next year 😊

[City of Sanctuary Sheffield🧡 @SheffCityofSanc]

We listened to people who have lived experience of the asylum system about the devastating impacts of not being able to work.
Campaigners spoke about the fight for change, businesses discussed the benefits lifting the ban would have, and politicians committed support.

[Asylum Matters @AsylumMatters]

“Even before the announced decrease, research by Asylum Matters found that only 1% of those living in hotels could afford to buy clothes”

@sianushka in @theleaduk highlighting meagre asylum support rates mean people are forced into #SurvivingInPoverty

https://t.co/2m1FsPutYr

[SYMAAG @SYMAAG]

@Melindammar @AsylumMatters @MaryLBrandon @SheffCouncil @STARnational @SheffCityofSanc @migrantsorg The right to work - with full rights - is a trade union issue. Hope to see you there @council_trades @Unite_Com_SY @sheffielducu @GMBSHEFFHEALTH @ASLEFunion @UnisonSheffield @IWWSheffield @IWGB_CLB @NEUSheffield @UniteNEYH @BFAWUOfficial @fbunational @BarnsleyTuc @rotherham_tuc

[Melinda Martinez @Melindammar]

Join us on the 15th of December, to celebrate the launch of the Sheffield Lift the Ban Coalition at Town Hall. LIFT THE BAN to work and let OUR PEOPLE BREATH @AsylumMatters @MaryLBrandon @SheffCouncil @STARnational @SheffCityofSanc @SYMAAG @migrantsorg
https://t.co/lnPhXXm4v9

[Rose McCarthy @RoseatMcCarthy]

What a fantastic night and our first ever award for Leeds City of Sanctuary. We have a brilliant steering group of volunteers who spread hope and resilience