Community Action Isle of Wight, working in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council, is gearing up to welcome Ukrainians to the Island.
The charity, which worked closely with the council to coordinate much of the community support during the pandemic, will be working closely with the council and other partners to mobilise the support required on the Island.
The first activity will be to gauge how many people may be arriving on the Island and to then begin co-ordinating the vital response and support required.
To date, the focus of the Government’s efforts to accommodate those fleeing the war-torn country has been on providing visas to those with immediate family members in the UK. However, under the Homes for Ukraine scheme people can now also apply to sponsor someone to help fast-track their entry into the UK and more than 150,000 people in the UK have already registered their interest.
Mike Bulpitt, CEO of Community Action said:
“We know that many people on the Island will be keen to play their part in providing shelter and support to people fleeing from the war in Ukraine and it is important that we act quickly to prepare for receiving people.
“The first stage of the scheme focuses on those who already know someone in Ukraine that they are willing to sponsor, and we particularly want to hear from those people now with named contacts in Ukraine who they will be supporting with a visa application.
“This will help us to gauge the immediate level of support required and help those Ukrainians arriving on the Island identify and access the help and assistance they need.”
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To help support the process, Community Action Isle of Wight has established a dedicated email [email protected] and a phone line 01983 539374 which will operate initially from today and over this weekend but thereafter from Monday to Friday from 10:00-16:00.
This email and number is also there for any Ukrainians on the Island needing help and support.
Ian Lloyd, Strategic Manager for Partnerships and Support Services said:
“This is a process that will need careful management so that we can keep pace with those arriving on the Island and give them the vital support they need.
“Although we know the scheme will be expanded at some point to include people in Ukraine that are not known to people here, right now we just need to hear from those who are in touch with named contact and intending to sponsor them.
“We anticipate that people will start arriving fairly quickly now and it will be important that we can help them with finding school places for their children, help with medical issues, finding work and other forms of support.
“Community Action’s phonelines are likely to be busy for the next few days in particular so we would also ask that offers of accommodation, clothing, food etc which continue to be more than welcome are directed instead to other charitable efforts on the Island and not this particular phoneline so that we can focus our efforts on our area of support.”
Councillor Lora Peacey Wilcox, Leader of the Isle of Wight Council said:
“We know that the Island will be keen to play its part in offering help for people fleeing the war.
“It is our task to ensure support is in place, both for those offering homes and also to those needing sanctuary. We look forward to helping the Ukrainian people and sincerely thank all those who have come forward with accommodation, help and support, you are very special people.”
Shame they are not working closely with the homeless on the island
Could you imagine if all the people falling over there selves willing to help,
would be like this, IF the country in question was in Africa or the Middle East. And people call ME racist.
Nothing but hypocrisy.
(But good luck to them anyway).
can’t be bothered to help British homeless, but fall over theirselves to bring more people to the already full island…..we do not want more people queuing for dentists, doctors, schools etc….
how about ..no extra money, then see how willing these do gooders are.
stop imposing more people onto the rest of us, who don’t want them or others turning up here and adding to the overcrowding
Working at a school, I’ve known a number of east European families who have settled here over the years and they’ve all found jobs, are part of the community and are contributing to our society. I think we should try and help those who are actually making the effort and not simply coming here for the benefits. Yes, they will get a helping hand initially but I’m fairly sure, based on the ones I’ve known, that longer term they’ll be an asset and part of our community.
Always helping others, not their own. No chance of finding a property for our kids to rent.. unless pay the huge rate estate agents charge… and then only if lucky… a guarantor, a couple of grand deposit, and a monthly income of triple the rent !!
Wish they would bring back 100% interest free mortgages.. !! A mortgage is half the cost of rental fees.. or less each month !!
But hey ! IW council will help mainlanders and foreigners to settle here first…. it seems !