Chichester Humanists hosted this online talk about the experiences of refugees in the UK, delivered by Tony Toynton, Chair of Trustees of Sanctuary in Chichester.
Tony described the work of Sanctuary In Chichester in the context of the broader situation with refugees and asylum seekers in the UK and beyond. The talk included some practical examples of how and why people come to the UK, particularly highlighting the situation of the millions who fled from Syria to refugee camps in Lebanon and Turkey. Without taking any party-political stance, Tony commented on how current UK government policy impacts the work carried out by Sanctuary in Chichester and similar organisations. He exploded some of the more common myths that influence public opinion and government policy.
Tony Toynton retired as Assistant Chief Constable of Sussex Police in 2006, following which he moved to a board-level director position with West Sussex County Council until 2012. Since then he has fulfilled a number of interim leadership roles with local councils, including highways, transport, wastes management, street cleansing, and community services such as public libraries, public records, and registrars services. Since 2012, Tony has also lectured on leadership and management, project management, and sound governance at the more senior level in both public and private sector settings.