REFUGEES and asylum seekers gave emotional speeches about how they had been offered new hope in Bradford, as a special event celebrated the way the city unites to help them.

Bradford, as a City of Sanctuary, has a long tradition of welcoming strangers fleeing from many of the world’s most dangerous places including Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Iraq and Eritrea.

The Faiths in Action showcase, held yesterday at Bradford’s Faith Centre in Oakwood Court, City Road, aimed to show how faith and non-faith groups are all pitching in to help and encouraging more people to join them. As well as the speeches, there were information stalls about various initiatives and crafts and activities for children .

Will Sutcliffe, chairman of Bradford’s City of Sanctuary project, said: “The message that kept coming through from the speakers and others was we have more in common, particularly when we work together helping others who are in desperate need, and things that divide us really become fairly insubstantial.”