Every six months, LASSN Members receive a short update on what’s actually happening inside LASSN. what we’re deciding to keep, reduce, or change where pressure is building what’s working in practice (and what isn’t) how trustees are making decisions about sustainability Membership is free and open to anyone who wants to stay connected with LASSN in a meaningful way https://lassn.org.uk/members/
The rise in far-right activity feels frightening — for people seeking asylum and refuge, and for neighbours who want Leeds to stay welcoming. People living in hotels are especially exposed to this fear and hostility. But there are practical ways we can act together to show that this city is kinder and stronger than hate. Staying silent only gives more ground to those who want division to dominate the headlines. Contact your councillors and MP. Leeds is about to become a Local Authority of Sanctuary. A short email or letter saying you value compassion and want people in hotels to be safe and treated with dignity makes a difference. Elected members need encouragement to stay strong. WriteToThem makes it easy. Volunteer. Giving your time is a powerful form of protest as well as showing solidarity. At LASSN, that could mean helping someone learn English (English at Home), walking alongside a newly arrived refugee (Welcome and Connect), offering your spare room to someone with nowhere to stay, or helping out at one of our houses (Hosting and Housing). Acts of friendship and neighbourliness matter - and we're recruiting right now. Or if nothing takes your fancy, you can still act from your armchair: our recent membership newsletter is full of ideas of ways you show your support. Share facts, not fear. If you hear myths about asylum seekers, challenge them with reliable information. City of Sanctuary’s Courageous Conversations and Safe Passage’s guidance can help with those awkward chats at work, the pub, or even family gatherings. Show everyday solidarity. A smile, a conversation at the bus stop, or stepping in when someone faces hostility makes a real difference. We’re fans of the Active Bystander approach and are about to arrange some more training for our volunteers. You can watch this short video to find out more, and maybe even arrange some free sessions at your workplace, place of worship, or school. Celebrate what really matters. The Leeds Compassionate City Awards recognise the everyday kindness and commitment of people, community groups and organisations across our city. They shine a light on the work that makes Leeds a fairer, friendlier and more welcoming place to live. You've still got a week or so to nominate individuals or groups and to let them know you value their contribution (nominations close on 8th September 2025). Most people in Leeds want to live in communities that are safe, fair, and welcoming. By taking small steps, we can show that compassion is the majority voice in our city. Hope grows when we act. And together, Leeds can keep showing the country what welcome really looks like. Jon Beech, Director (email me at [email protected] and ask me to send you some #solidaritybadges) Image by Alexa from Pixabay
We know that supporting people from different countries and backgrounds can sometimes feel a bit uncertain — especially when you're not sure what someone might have experienced before arriving here, or how that might affect how they’re feeling now. To help, we’ve put together some new mental health guides. They give a bit of background about what people from different countries may have been through, how this can affect mental health, and a few simple, practical ways you can offer support as a volunteer. Of course, every person’s story is different — but we hope these guides will help you feel a little more confident and better equipped when these conversations come up. The guides we’ve produced so far cover: Afghanistan Eritrea Iran Iraq Yemen Vietnam Mental Health Guides Click here to see the Guides We’ll keep adding to these resources as we go — so if there’s a country or topic you’d find helpful, please let us know. We already have plans to produce some for the Democratic Republic of Congo and Hong Kong
At LASSN, we’re fortunate to receive support from big funders like the National Lottery and the Leeds Building Society Foundation — but it’s the generosity of everyday donors that truly keeps us going. It’s those smaller, regular contributions that help us bridge funding gaps and take bold steps. In fact, Grace House, Eva’s House, and Kay House all began because individuals believed in our work enough to invest in it. That’s why we’ve launched our new Donation Shop — a space where you can see the real impact of your giving and understand what everyday support really costs. If you’re curious about the kind of work we do, take a look. And if you have a little to spare, please consider donating. Every pound helps us support, empower, and welcome refugees and asylum seekers in Leeds — and helps make tomorrow better than today. LASSN Donation Shop
Opening a bank account can be difficult - if not impossible - for many refugees and asylum seekers. The Immigration Act and new European Anti Money Laundering directives are going to make this even harder. This short course was written to help people who support refugees and asylum seekers to understand more about why this is, and to provide some practical steps to help them. You can download all the materials from here
There are loads of online resources aimed at young people, to help them to understand more about refugees, asylum seekers, and what they can do to help. We've selected a few of the resources we've found most helpful - books, websites, and films - to help young people find out more for themselves. You can find these at https://lassn.org.uk/resources-for-young-people/ along with downloadable resources for parents and teachers. And of course, if we've missed off your favourite - please let us know, by emailing [email protected]