LEICESTER CITY OF SANCTUARY AGM

Hotfoot from the Faith Awareness Summer Visit to the Jain Centre, I head for the Annual General Meeting of Leicester City of Sanctuary in St Andrew's Church Hall, Jarrom Street, hardly ten minutes' walk away. Except when I get there, there's a different event entirely going on. Once I get someone to open the door to me, I discover that unintentional double booking; seems I missed an email about the change of venue. An apologetic Canon Barry Naylor first invites me into the warmth and offers food and drink, but I demur (even though it's bloomin' freezing out and I haven't had my tea). He points me in the direction of St Margaret's Church Hall where I'll find the City of Sanctuary AGM. That's a little more than ten minutes' walk but I feel committed now, so off I go.

Just a few hours ago I was asked (via Facebook) to sign an electronic petition through Change.org ("the world's petition platform") to release Abdul Ghafar Rajabali and halt his deportation. I did so and shared it with my Facebook friends. By the time I reach St Margaret's Church Hall, I see that 20 of them have also signed - and I imagine that some of them will have shared the petition with their own friends.

Even though I arrive at the venue just as the meeting is breaking up, I hope it's still worth showing my face. I want to express support not only for City of Sanctuary as an organisation and for what they are doing about Abdul's plight, but also lend personal support to a few friends who have been leading the campaign for Abdul's release.

Photos by Ambrose Musiyiwa, publishing as Civic Leicester. Reproduced by permission. More of Ambrose's photos from this meeting may be seen online.