Support Ukraine

£200 welcome payment

Sponsors are emailed a unique link to a Leicestershire County Council web page via which they can advise the county council of their guest arrival information, including the date, as soon as possible after their arrival. This will help to ensure that their guest(s) receive their £200 welcome payment as soon as possible after arrival.

Sponsors need to complete the information as the first guest arrives and update the county council for each guest if they arrive on different dates.

To use the form sponsors will be asked to create a Leicestershire County Council ‘Self’ account to allow them to easily track what they have told the county council about their guests arriving. In the form, sponsors can also indicate if they wish to receive their optional monthly sponsor thank you payments for accommodating their guest(s) as part of the Homes For Ukraine scheme. If making a claim, sponsors will be asked to provide their banking details for payments.

 

Registering for social housing

If you are looking to settle in the Harborough district, you can register for social housing on the council's housing register, Harborough Homes.

 

Immigration information for Ukrainians in the UK

The Home Office has published new immigration information about the next steps Ukrainians need to take after arriving in the UK. This includes information about what Ukrainians need to do to confirm their immigration status, and how to demonstrate their status to access work, and the benefits and services they are entitled to.

Translated versions will be available in Ukrainian and Russian shortly.

 

Barnardo’s free helpline to support Ukrainian families

The conflict in Ukraine have caused families to forcibly leave their homes, in search of safety, with many arriving in the UK.

In response to this, following discussion with the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, Barnardo’s has set up the Ukrainian Support Helpline to provide a holistic support service. The helpline is available to anyone fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

Barnardo’s free helpline (0800 148 8586) is staffed by English, Ukrainian and Russian speakers, to offer support to children and families arriving in the UK from Ukraine.

The helpline is open Monday – Friday (10:00am – 8:00pm) and Saturday (10:00am – 3:00pm). Callers will be able to get help and advice on a range of topics.

A dedicated email address - ukrainiansupport@barnardos.org.uk - and webpage have also been set up for those assisting with the Ukraine response.

More information is on the Barnardo’s website.

 

Job Seeking Support

There is free support available to help people into work, training, or education. This includes help to:

• create or adapt a CV
• practice interview skills
• build confidence
• gain new skills
• look and apply for jobs and careers

Check out the support available here: https://investinharborough.com/harboroughjobs/

Or email business@harborough.gov.uk

 

Job Club

Join the Job Club on the first Friday of every month! Harborough Jobs (Harborough District Council), the National Careers Service, Work Live Leicestershire and the Job Centre Plus will be there to offer a range of support including:

• CV and interview skills
• Job searching and applying techniques
• Access to training and qualifications
• Careers advice
• Support with benefit claims

Drop in anytime between 12:30pm-4pm

Location: The Wycliffe Rooms, George Street, Lutterworth, LE17 4ED

Upcoming dates:

• Friday 10 June
• Friday 1 July
• Friday 5 August

Further information is at https://investinharborough.com/jobclub/

 

Local groups

Market Harborough and Surrounding Areas Refugee Community Group. Next meeting at Harborough Grammar School on 9 May 2022.

For further information please join the group's Facebook page.

Sunflower Social Group for Ukrainian Refugees and Hosts – Harborough Theatre Lounge, Church Square, Market Harborough, LE167NB.

The group will meet from 2-4pm on the following dates:

May 2022 - 12th and 26th

June 2022 - 9th, 23rd and 30th

They will then have a break over the summer and start meeting again in September.

'Together with Ukraine' at Market Harborough Methodist Church (Northampton Road, LE16 9HE), every Saturday morning at 10am until 12noon.

This is a friendly coffee morning and place to chat for Ukrainian people and their hosts. (Not open to the general public during this time, but all Ukrainian people and refugee-host families welcome).  Free of charge.

Leicester Ukrainian Club 'Kalyna.' 2A Fosse Road South, Leicester, LE3 OQD.

Further information is on the Leicester Ukrainian Club 'Kalyna' Facebook page.

 

Local Orthodox Churches

• Serbian Orthodox Church of St George, Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 1RD

• Greek Orthodox Church of St Nicholas and St Xenophon, Aylestone Road, Leicester, LE2 7NW

• Serbian Orthodox Church Hram Svetog Proroka IIije, 47 Rockingham Road, Corby, NN17 1AJ

• Orthodox Church of the Ascension, Clifton Road, Rugby, CV21 3QZ - https://orthodoxcommunityrugby.com/

 

Free language courses for Ukrainian refugees in Leicestershire

Information is available on Leicestershire County Council's website. Please scroll down the page to GoLearn! English Courses)

 

Ukrainian refugee free membership at Everyone Active leisure centres

Information about membership offers at Harborough Leisure Centre and Lutterworth Sports Centre is availalble on the Everyone Active website.

 

The Howard Watson Symington Memorial Charity grants to help Ukrainian refugees travel to Government visa centres

The trustees were made aware that Ukrainian refugees have to travel to Government visa centres to complete biometric tests and that travel costs were causing concern. They have agreed to provide one-off grants of £30 per refugee to help with travel costs in these circumstances.

The trustees can only help refugees resident in Market Harborough, Great Bowden, and Little Bowden. They understand that costs will vary depending on whether travel is by train or bus or car and they can't cover all those costs. However, they hope that the £30 grant for each refugee will go some way to make things easier.

Claims for the grant should be made as follows:

• By email to hwsmcharity@gmail.com
• Can be from a refugee, or someone (eg a host) on their behalf
• Must contain the full name of each refugee claiming a grant
• Must contain their address in Market Harborough, Great Bowden or Little Bowden
• Must set out a statement about hardship to justify a grant
• The grant, if approved, will be £30 per refugee
• The grant will be paid by bank transfer into a nominated bank account
• Must provide the bank account details following approval of a grant
• Relationship with the refugee eg host, family, friend etc
• All applications will be acknowledged within a week

The charity is run entirely by volunteers and so there are no office hours. Please bear this in mind when contacting trustees.

Other applications for support from local residents can be made online through the charity's website www.hwsmcharity.org.uk

 

Home-Start South Leicestershire

Home-Start South Leicestershire is a volunteer organisation that helps families with young children, especially children under the age of five, who are facing difficulties.

Being a parent can be lonely, frustrating and overwhelming. Everyone needs help sometimes. Our team of qualified staff and volunteers has parenting experience. We understand the need for friendship, advice and practical support, especially when your children are young.

How to get help

If you want to know more, contact us to see if we can help.

Home-Start South Leicestershire

121 Coventry Road

Harborough Market

Leicestershire

LE16 9BY

Tel: 01858 467982

Email: info@home-startsouthleics.org.uk

www.home-startsouthleics.org.uk

 

Online resources

Welcome guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK (link to PDF on external government website)

How the NHS works – Ukrainian – (link to Doctors of the World website. Please click on the first icon on the linked page)

How the NHS works – Russian – (link to Doctors of the World website. Please click on the first icon on the linked page)

Help for Ukrainian Nationals - Information and support for people from Ukraine, including the family migration visa and the Ukrainian family scheme, and wellbeing resources (link to British Red Cross website)

Factsheet (link to external government website. Translations available via buttons in top right of page)