Tributes to former councillor who helped make Sheffield the UK’s first City of Sanctuary

Mike Reynolds died peacefully at St Luke’s Hospice with his wife, two daughters and sister beside him on Thursday, May 19, at the age of 79, his friends said.

Mike was elected as councillor for Ecclesall ward in 2006 and councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, current Ecclesall ward representative, said he “worked tirelessly on behalf of local people” during his time in the role.

Coun Mohammed said: “His compassion for others was evident through his work for City of Sanctuary Sheffield and he was especially proud to be involved in securing the lease on the City of Sanctuary building on Chapel Walk where asylum seekers, refugees and others can find a warm welcome and a nourishing meal.

“Mike was a larger than life figure and very positive and enthusiastic in whatever he took on. But, equally there was a caring side to his nature which many, many people benefited from.”

Before becoming a councillor, Mike completed a degree in Languages at Durham University and spent a year as a postgraduate student in Venezuela before taking teaching posts in several different countries including Saudi Arabia and Spain.

It was in Spain that Mike met his wife Marian who he married in Lisbon.

They lived in Retford – where he stood as a parliamentary candidate – before moving to Sheffield to take up a job as a lecturer in Applied Linguistics at the University of Sheffield.

Outside of politics and languages, Mike was an Aston Villa Football Club fan, avid reader, singer with the Sheffield Philharmonic Choir and keen walker – completing the Camino de Santiago di Compostela and the Pilgrimage to Rome.

Mike had a strong religious faith and was a member of St William Church where his funeral will take place at 12.30pm on Wednesday, June 1.

Richard Watts, of St William Church, said: “Mike believed deeply that Christian faith should be expressed in working for social justice including supporting Sheffield’s long tradition of being a city of welcome for those fleeing persecution and oppression.

“Mike was deeply committed to working for the asylum seekers charity Assist, City of Sanctuary, Church Action on Poverty, work for the Fair Trade movement and fund raising activities for the overseas aid charity Cafod. As a former University Lecturer, Mike had a keen interest in debate and discussion and saw his Christian faith in terms of engagement in dialogue with the world around him.

“His many friends at St William will miss Mike’s warm friendship and the pleasure of sharing a good chat about the state of the world, his journeys within it over a glass of red wine and a shared meal. May he rest in peace.”