We’ve all seen the news. Migration is a contentious subject at the moment, with politicians sadly promising to “stop the boats” ahead of the elections next year. But we want the UK to be a safe place for those who need one most.
Leeds Craftivists have always had a focus on climate justice. The climate crisis is already forcing people to flee their homes due to floods and famines, and this will only continue as the crisis unfolds. We need to create a positive message of welcome for people fleeing unliveable situations, whether that’s due to conflict, poverty, or climate change.
So we’re joining local groups like Asylum Matters to ask Leeds City Council to become a Council of Sanctuary. We believe everyone has the right to live in safety and we want Leeds to be a place where everyone can thrive.
Why feathers?
If you’ve lived in Leeds for a while, you’ll have noticed that owls are a theme in our city – owls pop up all over buildings around the city centre, and an owl is the emblem of the city council. So we’re taking this symbol of the city we love and creating a big, beautiful wing installation, using feathers crafted by people across our communities who want to send a message of welcome.
We want Leeds to be a place where everyone can spread their wings and flourish. If you’d like to be part of this message, send us your feather and join in this creative campaign!
What you can do
If you’d like to join in, simply craft a feather using any medium you like, and send it to Leeds Sanctuary at 43 The Calls, LS2 7EY.
You can use any medium you like – paper, embroidery, collage, paint, knitting, or crochet. Your feather should be around 20cm long and 5cm wide, but each one will be perfectly unique.
If you’d like some inspiration head to our Instagram @LeedsCraftivists to see other feathers we’ve made. And if you’d like to crochet, here’s a pattern you can use. Happy crafting! We can’t wait to see what you create.
Our final Leeds Craftivists meeting of 2023 will be on Monday 04 December, and you can RSVP here. Hope to see you there!
