Incredible response to appeal for Ukraine support

01 April 2022

An incredible £23,000 has already been donated to an appeal just launched to help people fleeing war-torn Ukraine start building a new life in Northamptonshire.

The appeal, co-ordinated by the Northamptonshire Community Foundation (NCF) which was set up to support disadvantaged people and communities, was launched just this week.

We welcome the care, concern and generosity of local people and donors at this time.

These funds are so urgently and desperately needed to support the resettlement response on the ground and enable charities to provide a safety net in resettlement.

We have been working with community foundation colleagues across Europe including the Ukraine.

We have seen the response on the ground by community foundations in the Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania and how they have mobilised volunteers and collected funds to provide immediate relief and to aid refugees.

Community Foundations in the UK are also playing their part in that emergency response and that is why we are launching our Welcome Fund appeal to ensure community groups and charities preparing to welcome Ukrainian refugees have access to funds and resources to ensure families and individuals fleeing the conflict and violence are made to feel welcome, safe and well.NCF Deputy CEO, Rachel McGrath

Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council said:

We’ve all seen the images on the news of the devastation and chaos which is being wreaked on Ukraine, so it’s only right that we do what we can to support people seeking solace here in the UK.

In times such as these the people of North Northants show tremendous generosity and kindness and the people from Ukraine will be made to feel very welcome.Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council

Local authorities have been tasked with co-ordinating the Government’s activity, particularly around the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Council staff in North Northamptonshire are in the process of contacting sponsors, who will be hosting Ukrainian visitors, about necessary property and security checks.

The council is currently:

• Training staff to carry out initial property and suitability checks
• Seeking to establish a resettlement and refugee support team to help Ukrainians and their households access services and navigate systems
• Setting up a dedicated Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) process to carry out the necessary security checks

If anyone would like further information about how to sign up for the Homes for Ukraine scheme, we would currently direct them to the Government’s website in the first instance.