Our January theme is Sanctuary, chosen by our Sheffield chapter, illustrated by Lisa Maltby, and presented by Mailchimp.

You can stop running now, you are safe here. A sanctuary offers protection to those who are vulnerable: those who are fleeing violence, those who have been cast off and told there is no place for them there, even animals whose habitats have disappeared. Here is a place where you can finally lay your head down and rest.

The original meaning of sanctuary was a sacred place, containing a holy relic or person. A sanctuary recognizes that each of us, no matter where we have came from or what we’ve done, and our needs — for a full belly, for a roof, for safety, to be free from worry — are inviolable and whole.

Where is it that you find refuge? What happens to your body when you cross its threshold? And most importantly, how can you hold the door open for others?