Visit of the Deputy Mayor of London for Communities and Social Justice to Turner’s House

Visit of the Deputy Mayor of London for Communities and Social Justice to Turner’s House

Turner’s House had the honour to welcome Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy
Mayor of London for Communities and Social Justice, and Fiona Sacks,
Sanctuary Champion, on Wednesday 12 August 2026 as part of a visit to local organisations supported by the Sanctuary Fund.

The visit offered an opportunity to celebrate Tales & Travels, a creative programme
made possible with support from the Fund. This year’s theme, ‘What we carried and
what we left behind’, brought together women from different countries, including
Ukraine, Russia and Turkey, who are building new lives in the UK.

Across eight sessions, participants experimented with a range of artistic media and
techniques, while sharing experiences, meeting others and enjoying the process of
making art together. The programme was led by artists and facilitators Sasa Marinkov,
Diana Gotlieb, Riecha Kapoor and Sara Avila Abud.

To mark the visit, artworks created by participants were displayed throughout
Sandycombe Lodge. The exhibition offered the Deputy Mayor and representatives from
other Sanctuary Fund-supported organisations a chance to discover the participants’
creative outcomes and see first-hand what the funding had made possible at
Turner’s House.

Tales & Travels reflects how art and heritage can create spaces for people to meet,
share, create and build a sense of welcome and belonging.


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