Event: Young people seeking sanctuary performed a moving poem

The children, part of Stand & Be Counted Theatre’s Youth Theatre of Sanctuary, read It’s Where We Belong as part of the Yorkshire Integration Festival in the Winter Garden on Saturday.

The free, family-focused festival organised by Migration Yorkshire featured music, food, an art exhibition and performances.

It aimed to celebrate the integration of refugees and all communities in Yorkshire.

Members of the Youth Theatre of Sanctuary created the poem, which refers to ‘Sheffield is my heart, Sheffield is my home’ in their weekend workshops in the city.

“Everyone did themselves - and us - proud with their brilliant performance”, said Rosie MacPherson, joint CEO at Stand & Be Counted Theatre.

“It was a wonderful festival to be involved with, and there was a real buzz in the city centre despite the rain.

“Watching our youth theatre take to the stage to read a poem they had created in front of a crowd was a very special moment to witness.”

It’s Where We BelongCity of steel born and made

Places to visit right and left

Parks and streets all bustling with people

Day and night, people like specks in the sand

And it’s where we belong

Museums plenty and filled with history

Both good and bad

Happy and sad

Ordinary, Sheffield may be

But

It’s where we belong

Ordinary it still may be

But, its where our memories are made

The happiest, the fondest of our memories

The tragic and the joyful ones

Our passion for this ordinary place

Like a flame burning and reaching new limits.

I wanna be Sheffield's steel support beam

Holding Sheffield up

Sheffield is my heartSheffield is my home