ASSIST Sheffield

Eve and Jake have officially completed across the Peak District in memory of Dr Pious Nyandoro 🥾🎉

30 people (and 2 dogs!) joined them along the way, walking a combined 584.26 miles in solidarity with people seeking sanctuary (roughly the same as walking from Sheffield to Zurich, Switzerland) supported by 24 organisations standing together for migrant justice and human rights.

Eve and Jake also climbed over 18,253ft across the five days! That's an average of 3,651ft per day, more than the height of Snowdon ascended every single day! 🏔️

This was a community effort from start to finish. From family and friends who walked alongside them, supported them, and kept spirits high, to the pubs and cafés along the route who welcomed them in as Sanctuary Stops. Every part of this challenge was carried by people showing up for each other.

We've now raised £9,462 of our £12,000 target, 78% of the way there! To every single donor, and everyone who left a message of support and encouragement, thank you. You got the challenge team through the hardest moments. 🙏🏼

Celebrate their achievement and help us smash the fundraising target 👇🏼
https://www.justgiving.com/page/5-marathons-in-5-days

Enjoy the challenge photos below, and keep an eye out as there's more to come soon, including a short post-walk film! 📷

In solidarity, with immense gratitude to Eve, Jake, and everyone who made this possible. 🧡

We're proud to stand alongside 200+ migrant justice and human rights organisations and individuals in calling on the new Prime Minister to deliver a fairer, more effective, and more humane asylum system.

Together, we've signed an open letter setting out a blueprint to fix the broken asylum system. Replacing costly, performative policies with practical solutions rooted in dignity, evidence and compassion. 🧡

As Nathan Phillips, Head of Campaigns at Asylum Matters, said: "Our message to Andy Burnham is simple: you don’t have to keep doing this. It’s perfectly possible to build an asylum system with welcome at its heart that is both efficient and cost effective. Our blueprint is based on real evidence and the expertise of hundreds of people and organisations living and working in the asylum system who are ready to work with the new Prime Minister to build an asylum system that works better for everyone." 💬

The letter calls for safe routes to protection, communities not camps, the right to work, access to justice, an end to harmful rhetoric, detention and the criminalisation of people seeking asylum, and policies shaped by evidence and lived experience. Not fear and performative cruelty.

📖 Read the full open letter and the recent article via the links below.
🔗https://asylummatters.org/2026/07/27/blueprint-for-better-asylum-system/
🔗 https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/burnham-asylum-refugees-shabana-mahmood-37471833

🌍 75 Years On: Why the Refugee Convention Matters More Than Ever

Signed in Geneva on 28 July 1951, the Convention established the global right to seek asylum and the legal duty to protect people fleeing war, violence, and persecution. While its history and implementation are far from perfect, it remains a cornerstone of international refugee law and the global protection framework. ⚖️

At the heart of the Convention is the principle of non-refoulement: "No Contracting State shall expel or return ('refouler') a refugee... to territories where their life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion."

Today, however, that principle, and the Convention itself, is under increasing threat. Around the world, we are witnessing the normalisation of detention, pushbacks at borders, forced returns, and barriers that prevent people from accessing asylum and safety. At the same time, escalating conflicts, wars, and an intensifying climate crisis are driving displacement, creating new challenges that demand global cooperation, compassion and long-term solutions.

At ASSIST, we see what this means on a local level. We witness the human impact when protection is weakened, rights are undermined, and people are met with hostility instead of welcome.

At the end of 2025, 117.3 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide, including more than 41.6 million refugees, 9 million people seeking asylum, and 7.2 million others in need of international protection (UNHCR). The principles set out in the Refugee Convention continue to shape lives here in Sheffield, just as they do around the world. They remind us that everyone seeking safety deserves a fair asylum system, a place to call home, the right to work, and the opportunity to build a future with dignity. 🏡🫱🏼‍🫲🏾

This anniversary is more than a commemoration. It's a call to reaffirm that the solutions exist and that global governments must act. We need fair and well-resourced asylum systems, safe routes to protection, access to housing, healthcare, education and work, meaningful refugee participation, public conversations rooted in facts, kindness and our shared humanity.

Learn more about the Convention, the Global Civil Society Coalition's recommendations, challenge misinformation, amplify voices of lived experience, and help build communities where everyone can belong. 🧡

Meet the Walkers 👋🏽🚶🏻‍♀️🚶🏼

“Pious was a friend, adviser, coach, leader and inspiration to me. I am walking in his memory, to resist the system that caused my friend's death, and to raise awareness of the daily impact of migration policies on mental health.” - Eve, VVIDY - Voice of Voiceless Immigration Detainees Yorkshire Deputy Director & ASSIST Trustee

With just 1 week to go, they're preparing to tackle five back-to-back marathons, tracing a giant heart around the Peak District. That's 130 miles and over 5,500m of climbing (almost the equivalent of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro!) ⛰️

They're training hard to honour Dr Pious Nyandoro's legacy and raise vital funds to replenish his repatriation costs, secure the future of VVIDY, and support people seeking sanctuary in our community. 🧡

📅 Add the challenge dates (28 July to 1 August) to your diary and follow the journey as it unfolds. We'll be sharing regular updates and celebrating each milestone.

Turning grief into power with every mile takes an immense physical and emotional effort, and we have a crucial £12,000 target to reach. Please leave them some words of encouragement in the comments, share this post, and donate whatever you can via the link below. ⬇️
https://www.justgiving.com/page/5-marathons-in-5-days

Check out the rest of the post to learn more about Eve and Jake and what's driving them every step of the way. 💬

In just under two weeks, the challenge begins. It’s a powerful act of remembrance, solidarity and hope in honour of Dr Pious Nyandoro and his immense legacy.

As we approach the first anniversary of his death, we're standing alongside our partners to help ensure his story continues to inspire change. The campaign will replenish the community funds that enabled Pious' dignified repatriation to Zimbabwe, commission a permanent mural celebrating his life, and support the ongoing work of VVIDY, which he co-founded.

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported the fundraiser so far. Together, we've already reached 32% of the target, and every donation is bringing us closer to reaching the vital £12,000 goal! 🎯

Please support this campaign for justice by making a donation, joining Eve and Jake on part of the walk, or sharing the fundraiser with your friends, family and networks. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps honour Pious' memory and build the legacy he deserves.

Donate below ⬇️
https://www.justgiving.com/page/5-marathons-in-5-days

If you have been affected by su***de and the content raised in this post, support is available:
💙 Samaritans – 116 123
💙 PAPYRUS – 0300 102 2470 (or text HOPE to 88247)
💙 Shout – text SHOUT to 85258
💙 Survivors of Bereavement by Su***de (SoBS) – 0300 111 5065
💙 Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) – 0800 585858

Questions❓
Message us and we are happy to help. Thank you for standing and walking with us. 🙏

We are proud to be one of more than 40 organisations supporting Communities Not Camps and signing this joint letter, led by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), calling on the Government to end the use of mass asylum accommodation camps.

People seeking asylum are currently being housed in former military sites at Crowborough and Wethersfield. These prison-like camps isolate individuals from local communities and limit access to healthcare, legal advice and other vital support.

Together, we're calling on the Government to close these sites, cease the opening of new sites, and invest instead in community-based accommodation that upholds people's rights, dignity and belonging.

📖 Read the full joint letter from JCWI and the Communities Not Camps campaign via the link below.
https://jcwi.org.uk/updates/end-mass-asylum-accomodation/

Subscribe to the ASSIST Sheffield Newsletter! ✉

At a time of rising hostility and misinformation, staying informed and standing in solidarity with people seeking sanctuary has never been more important. So join our growing community and stay up to date with how we're working together to challenge asylum destitution and create the conditions for justice, dignity and belonging for all people seeking asylum in our city.

You'll receive the latest news from ASSIST, inspiring stories, upcoming events, and opportunities to get involved, all delivered straight to your inbox.

Join today, just in time for our Summer update! Find the quick sign-up form at the bottom of our website. ✅

A gift in your Will can create a lasting legacy of hope for people seeking sanctuary 🧡

After providing for your family and loved ones, remembering ASSIST in your Will can ensure destitute people seeking asylum in Sheffield have access to safe, dignified accommodation, practical support, welfare assistance and a welcoming community. 🏡

Every legacy gift, whatever its size, helps us plan for the future so we can continue standing in solidarity alongside our clients.

“Supporting vulnerable people seeking asylum in Sheffield will be my legacy; it costs nothing during my lifetime but will have a powerful impact in the future.” - Helena, ASSIST Supporter

Find out more and download our free codicil form via the link below ⬇️
https://www.assistsheffield.org.uk/content/leave-gift-your-will

fans

Final Lift the Ban meeting before the summer break! 🌞✊

Join us for the last Lift the Ban Annual General Meeting before we take a break for the summer. We will reflect on our achievements so far, celebrate our collective work, and plan exciting new actions for later in the year!

It is a great opportunity to share ideas and catch up with fellow activists over a meal together.

📅 13 July
📍 The Sanctuary
⏰ 5.30pm–7pm

Interpreters needed in Arabic, French, Farsi, Tigrinya, Kurdish Sorani and Somali.

Travel costs reimbursed for people seeking asylum and all our welcome.

We’d love to see you there!💛