For more than sixteen years, St. Chad’s Sanctuary has been a place of welcome, friendship and practical support for refugees and asylum seekers in Birmingham. As Columbans, we have long admired and supported its mission, which reflects our commitment to accompanying people on the margins and recognising the dignity of every person.
For Columbans, accompanying refugees and migrants is one of our two mission priorities, alongside caring for creation. Around the world, Columban missionaries walk alongside people displaced by conflict, poverty, environmental degradation and persecution. Here in Britain, that same commitment is lived out through relationships with those seeking safety and a new beginning.
Founded in 2010 by Sr. Margaret Walsh of the Infant Jesus Sisters, St. Chad’s Sanctuary began after she recognised the growing need to support people arriving in Birmingham after fleeing difficult and often dangerous circumstances. Operating from the Salvation Army building behind St. Chad’s Cathedral on Shadwell Street, the project has provided practical assistance and a sense of community to thousands of people over the years.
The Sanctuary offers much more than material support. Visitors can access refreshments, clothing, toiletries, English classes, as well as advice and information about other support services in and around the city. Perhaps most importantly, they find a welcoming space where they are treated with dignity and respect.
For many years, Columban missionary Fr. Ray Collier, who resides at the Columban House in Solihull, has been part of that welcome. A regular volunteer on Mondays, Fr. Ray has accompanied many people who come through the Sanctuary’s doors, listening to their stories and offering friendship and encouragement.
More recently, fellow Columban Fr. Tim Mulroy has also become involved, offering English lessons for beginners. His classes provide valuable support for those taking their first steps in learning the language and building confidence in their new surroundings.
The Sanctuary’s welcoming ethos is also reflected in the many asylum seekers who choose to volunteer after receiving support themselves. Having experienced the kindness and hospitality of the Sanctuary, they give back by assisting others who are newly arrived. Their contribution is greatly appreciated, particularly when helping those with little or no English to communicate and access the support they need.
Over the past year, the Sanctuary has faced an unexpected challenge. The Salvation Army building on Shadwell Street was sold to developers, and the project was asked to vacate the premises by the end of May 2026. While there has been speculation that the site may be redeveloped for apartments, the focus for staff and volunteers has been ensuring the continuity of the project’s work.
Thankfully, a new home has been found in a building behind St. Anne’s Church in Digbeth, alongside Fatima House, which provides temporary accommodation for women seeking asylum. While the location is changing, the heart of the Sanctuary remains the same.
Speaking about the project, Fr. Ray says, “St. Chad’s Sanctuary shows what can happen when people are welcomed with kindness and compassion. For many who have experienced loss, uncertainty and displacement, a simple welcome can make all the difference. I am proud to be part of this community and grateful for all that has been achieved over the years.”
“The move represents a new chapter” says Fr. Ray “but the same commitment to hospitality, accompaniment and practical support will continue in our new setting!“ he assures.
As Columbans, we are grateful for the witness of St. Chad’s Sanctuary and all those who make its work possible. The project embodies a mission rooted in encounter, solidarity and hope. As it settles into its new premises, we give thanks for all that has been achieved over the past sixteen years and look forward with confidence to the years ahead. In a world marked by displacement and division, places such as St. Chad’s Sanctuary continue to demonstrate the transformative power of welcome.
An ode to Shadwell Street
For the strong walls, and the leaky,
the heavy doors, and the squeaky,
the new windows, always streaky
the good smells and the reeky!
For the travelling sounds, dodgy doorbells, bendy bannisters and echoing stairwells,
For the carpark with fines, the old tatty signs,
The inexplicable address, the near constant mess,
For the resident mice and the rock-bottom price…
We give thanks for this building and the years we have had
We look back on them all and feel a touch sad
The Salvation Army in their generosity and faith
Allowed us to treat sanctuary seekers with warmth and grace.
To visit once was to see a place of welcome;
to visit again was to know it as a beacon
Of compassion and joy and cake and tea!
Full of committed volunteers so kind and friendly.
Shadwell Street was never mere mortar and stone
But a place that many people came to call home.
As we make way for, we fear, inevitable demolition
And move to a new site to continue our mission,
We take a moment to recognise this special member of our team
The twelfth man, the silent partner, the fulfiller of Sr Margaret’s dream;
The perfect place to laugh, to work, to welcome, to meet,
The one and only 72 to 74 Shadwell Street.
Abigail Martin
