THE Welsh Refugee Council (WRC) has opened its new headquarters in Newport city centre, and speakers at the opening ceremony used the occasion to promote the city as a place of sanctuary for people forced to leave their own countries.

The WRC supports asylum seekers and refugees who arrive in Wales, helping them integrate into their local communities.

At the organisation's Lower Dock Street offices, Jane Bryant AM said: "I believe Newport is a very caring place to be."

The WRC's "enthusiasm, courage and support means so much to so many people," she added.

The office opened during National Hate Crime Awareness Week (October 13-20), and government figures for the past 12 months showed recorded cases of hate crime – which include crimes motivated by racial, religious or sexual hatred – had increased by 17 per cent on the previous year.

One of the organisation's trustees, Nick Webb, said that despite the actions of a minority of people committing hate crimes, overall attitudes to immigration had improved in recent years.

The event also brought together people working with the WRC on the Asylum Rights Programme, which helps asylum seekers and the wider public understand the rights available to people seeking asylum in this country.

Harry Iles, a WRC trustee, said: "It's wrong that people are destitute in this country, so it's great to see people reaching out and doing something about it."