Herefordshire Council is marking the one-year anniversary of the launch of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, calling sponsors ‘local heroes’.
We thank those families who have opened their doors to people who fled their country following the Russian invasion in 2022.
Since the scheme began on 14 March 2022, almost 600 Ukrainians have arrived in Herefordshire. Those guests have been supported by over 200 local hosts who have welcomed them into their homes. The scheme has a further 100 Ukrainians signed up to come to Herefordshire whenever new hosts become available to house them. We continue to encourage local people to sign up to the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
The council has helped the Hereford branch of the Association for Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) collect and distribute 450 tons of humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Residents and businesses have been very generous with their donations to support Ukrainians still in their own country as well as those newly arrived in Herefordshire. It’s all been coordinated by AUGB and the council from one of our industrial units at Three Elms in Hereford.
Hilary Hall, Herefordshire Council’s corporate director, community wellbeing, says:
“Of course we need to say a huge thank you to all the hosts in Herefordshire who have welcomed people from Ukraine into their homes. We should also thank other people and organisations in Herefordshire who have supported them. They include the many community groups, volunteers who’ve helped run events and activities put on for Ukrainian guests, local school teachers, support workers and employers as well as the residents who have given Ukrainians a hugely warm welcome. I really hope many more hosts come forward. For anyone who is interested, the Diocese of Hereford provides excellent support to make suitable matches between local hosts and Ukrainians. So, please contact Lesley Grady by emailing hosts-for-ukraine@hereford.anglican.org. You can also register on the government’s Homes for Ukraine webpage, which takes you through the process of becoming a host and how to find someone to sponsor.”
UK Government says the Homes for Ukraine scheme is one of the fastest and largest visa programmes in UK history. And that 116,000 Ukrainians arrived safely in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.