Sponsored by
Pit lamp gift for new citizens
A MINIATURE miners' lamp may be given to people taking on British citizenship, including former asylum seekers, in Sunderland.
Similar to U.S.-style citizenship ceremonies, the UK's first is due to be held in London tomorrow.
A date for Wearside's first has been pencilled in for Thursday, April 29, at the civic centre in Burdon Road.
It would take place in the Marriage Room and the ceremonies are designed to help make people seeking citizenship feel more committed to the country with a pledge of loyalty to the Queen. The ceremony would be led by the city's superintendent registrar.
The idea for them came from the Home Secretary David Blunkett and up to 100,000 new British nationals a year are expected to take part. They will be charged 218 by the Home Office with 68 of that going to councils so they can meet costs.
A city council spokesman said: "Arrangements to hold Citizenship Ceremonies are already in place and we're awaiting Home Office notification of the participants in the first ceremony."
The ceremonies, that would also include a speech from the city mayor, are expected to take place on a monthly basis.
All of the UK's 434 councils are organising ceremonies and the Government's guidelines suggest that a souvenir should be included.
The council spokesman said: "Each person becoming a citizen will receive a memento which reflects the working history of the region such as a miniature miner's lamp.
"The 68 costs of the ceremony includes this in addition to photographs, refreshments and the organisational costs."
A Home Office spokeswoman said it was not clear yet how many people may be taking part in the Wearside ceremonies.
She said: "It is not for new arrivals but for people who have been granted leave to remain in the country such as those having been granted asylum for a certain number of years or if they have come here for marriage and are eligible to stay in the UK permanently."
In Newcastle, a spokesman for the city council said no requests or numbers had been confirmed but they had been pencilled in for the first Wednesday in every month from April.
Citizens there would receive a framed picture of themselves with the Lord Mayor of Newcastle.
A spokesman for Durham County Council said it was still drawing up plans but ceremonies were likely to be held in County Hall.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sunderland
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Heavy sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: -0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
