Portsmouth helps 79 Ukrainian families
It is six months since the first of 79 families arrived in Portsmouth on the Homes for Ukraine visa scheme to escape the Russian invasion
They were welcomed to a city which was well prepared to receive them with the housing department coordinating the response of services within the council and in partnership with a range of public and voluntary sector organisations. The Roberts Centre, a charity based in the city, was appointed to provide them each with a caseworker.
Caseworkers have helped the guests, 100 adults and 56 children, into work, education and accessing public services, organised regular social sessions and arranged English lessons with the help of Portsmouth City of Sanctuary, Highbury College and the Learning Place.
Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness, Cllr Darren Sanders, said: "I would like to thank all those who volunteered to welcome Ukrainian guests into their homes over the past six months, the council officers and staff from our partners who have coordinated a brilliant effort across the city, and to our Ukrainian guests themselves who have left their homes and loved ones behind in the midst of a brutal invasion.
"As a city we have delivered an excellent welcoming programme for the guests which I hope has provided comfort to them over the previous six months and Portsmouth will continue to show its solidarity with Ukraine."
As the scheme passes the six months mark, the council has announced it will enhance the monthly payment of £350 made by Government to hosts to cover their costs by an additional £100. This will be paid once the Ukrainians have been in their Portsmouth homes for six months, and it will be paid until they have been there for a year.
The council will also extend the support provided by The Roberts Centre caseworkers to cover, where appropriate, their work with the Ukrainian refugees for their first full year in the country.
Chief executive of The Roberts Centre, Carole Damper, said: "It is inspiring to witness the kindness and generosity of spirit of so many to those who have experienced such horrid experiences in Ukraine. In such difficult times the people of Portsmouth have welcomed and shown compassion to families from Afghanistan and the Ukraine; a response we should be rightly proud of."
There have been offers from more than 100 homes in the city to host refugees for the national scheme, and it remains open if anyone else wishes to sign on. There is a particular need for homes with two or more spare bedrooms to host families.