Refugees could be arriving in Argyll within weeks
Work has started on building a support network for hosts willing to offer shelter to those in need from Ukraine.
Lismore mum Iris Piers set up a Facebook page that now has more than 40 members, many of whom are ready and waiting to open their doors and arms to refugees.
She told The Oban Times: ‘We’ve had a big response from people here on Lismore, Appin, Benderloch, Taynuilt and surrounding areas – all wanting to help. We’ve also had translators and a trauma counsellor get in touch.
‘We are getting ready for when we are needed. Argyll and Bute Council has told us there is no objection to people coming here and we know of people who have already made contact with Ukrainian families and have invited them to stay. Visa applications are in process. We could have families arriving here within weeks.’
Iris added: ‘The idea of our Facebook network is to share latest information on sponsoring or being hosts to families and making sure that the support is there.’
Refugee families will need much care and support to help them adjust to their new lives.
‘It’s not straight forward as in just offering a roof over people’s heads. People need to think about what the impact is going to be of hosting people from an active war zone, some of them will still have members of their family fighting out there.’
Argyll and Bute’s council leader Robin Currie has already said: ‘Argyll and Bute Council stands ready to help and play our part in the national effort to support the Ukrainian people. We will work with other agencies on a national and local basis, wherever it is possible, to help people in these very desperate circumstances.’
A further £15 million of funding will be made available by the Scottish Government to support Scotland’s response to the illegal invasion of Ukraine.
The funds will be used to bolster the support available to Ukrainian nationals arriving in Scotland, with just over £11m to be allocated to local authorities and £2.25m set aside for temporary accommodation.
Building firm MacLeod Construction also wants to help by offering homes as well as full-time jobs to Ukrainian refugees with construction experience. The Lochgilp head based builders has responded to a national call to welcome skilled Ukrainians arriving in Scotland.
MacLeod’s responded to an appeal by Scottish Land & Estates (SL&E), a championing organisation which represents rural businesses. Details will now be sent to the UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Mairi Macleod, from the building firm, said: ‘We had been thinking about how we could support the Ukrainian situation in a way that provided real and meaningful help.
‘We had considered offering jobs and housing, and were looking at who to approach about this.
‘When SLE reached out, we were in a position to make an offer straight away. It’s great for us to be able to work together with SLE and other land businesses to offer this.’
She added: ‘We have identified accommodation in Mid Argyll initially but would hope to give work across Argyll. The UK construction industry is struggling with a lack of skilled labour so this is a win-win for everyone. We hope to see other construction companies and industry bodies following suit.’
Oban Helps Ukraine (OHU), an online appeal started by Shauna MacKenzie, has turned its focus for now to collecting supplies and donations for Medical Now, a charity trying to set up a British-led field operations hospital in Ukraine to treat any victims of the war.
‘They have a trauma surgeon and a medical team on site and are also training people in first aid. We don’t have an actual collection point, if anyone has anything to donate then they can get in touch with me on our Facebook page,’ said Shauna.
Oban’s Phoenix Cinema has teamed up with more than 100 cinemas in the UK to show a new film called Olga, with profits going to The Disaster’s Emergency Committee and onto their member charities in aid of Ukraine. There is a final screening today (Thursday March 24) at 6.45pm. The plot follows a 15-year-old Ukrainian gymnast dreams of Olympic gold but finds herself exiled in Switzerland while a revolution is staged in her homeland. Meanwhile, her investigative journalist mother faces danger as she challenges a brutal regime.