Preston’s place as an official City of Sanctuary is to be launched in the city centre later this month.

Pledging to help refugees arriving in the UK the nationwide movement of Cities of Sanctuary has drawn support from politicians in Preston.

Now they will give Prestonians the chance to experience what it’s like to seek asylum through a multi-media exhibition Escape to Safety.

Participants in the exhibition have to listen to three refugee voices on a soundtrack as they make their way through eight small rooms in Preston Minster.

Exhibition designer from charity Global Link Gisela Renolds said: “Everyone has an opinion about refugees and asylum seekers. This exhibition gives people the chance to make it an informed opinion, rather than one influenced by the xenophobic messages currently dominating political and media discourse.”

Escape to Safety has toured hundreds of schools across the UK since it was created in 1999.

Read more: Should Preston become a City of Sanctuary?

The exhibition and City of Sanctuary initiative has been given the support of Preston City Council – endorsed at its most recent full council meeting.

Leader of the city council councillor Peter Rankin said: “This independent group has been meeting regularly since November with the intention of making it as easy as possible for refugees to learn English, get employment and become integrated into Preston’s diverse community. Many of us are proud of Preston’s history down the centuries of welcoming refugees and others fleeing persecution, war and natural disasters and value the contribution those seeking sanctuary have made, and will continue to make, to our society.”

The exhibition opens at 1pm on Monday 27 February in the Minster and is in place for a week.

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