The government has announced the Homes for Ukraine scheme, allowing individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to offer refuge to an individual or family from Ukraine who are fleeing the war.
To find out more and register your interest, visit Gov.uk.
If you have signed up to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, read the Gov.uk: Sponsor guidance, and frequently asked questions.
Reset Communities and Refugees, a charity leading UK community sponsorship, is launching a matching and training service for sponsors and refugees. This will bring together sponsors and refugees, assess their eligibility and suitability for the scheme and provide training and advice to sponsors and community groups.
Reset has also produced a toolkit for sponsors.
For information about local support for sponsors and Ukrainian arrivals, email communitysupport@brentwood.gov.uk.
Welcome packs
Welcome packs have been put together for sponsors and Ukrainian arrivals in the Brentwood borough to find local information and support.
This includes mental health support, help with finances and benefits, applying for school places and accessing NHS services.
Essex County Council has created some useful resources:
- local information packs for sponsors
- translated information packs for guests (Ласкаво просимо до Ессексу: інформаційні матеріали для гостей)
- information for sponsors welcoming a Ukrainian person or family
The government has produced Welcome: a guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK, which is available in the Ukrainian and Russian languages.
Donations
The Brentwood mutual Aid Facebook group has been helping with community donation drives and details of local collection points, what items are needed and other up-to-date information. This Facebook group is not managed by Brentwood Borough Council.
We recommend that anyone who wants to offer financial support should donate money to recognised charities already working on the ground in Ukraine, such as:
- Disasters Emergency Committee – Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal
- British Red Cross - Ukraine crisis appeal
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) - the UN refugee agency
- United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) - Ukraine
- Save the Children - Ukraine appeal
- Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) - Help Ukraine Emergency Appeal
For more advice, go to GOV.UK: Ukraine - what you can do to help.