Diocese working to help refugees
THE DIOCESE of Oxford has partnered with Citizens UK to house Ukrainian refugees in the Thames Valley.
It was set up in response to the government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme, which requires sponsors to name individuals they wish to help.
It is hoped that 50 people who have fled the war-torn nation will be helped by the partnership over the coming months.
Associate Archdeacon of Berkshire, the Revd Liz Jackson, is leading the diocese project team.
“We want to make sure that we can provide safe places for refugees, and that the support they will need is in place,” she said.
“We are carefully matching people with hosts, and we will support hosts too.
“Our idea is to house people in clusters, so that there is a community of people going through similar who can be there for each other.
“It is important to get this right, they have been through so much.”
Following the launch of the diocese’s scheme, almost 400 people registered
offering accommodation or other practical support including language tuition, providing transport and help with paperwork.
And Ms Jackson understands the challenges and rewards of having strangers to stay. She has hosted a number of people in her home, including asylum seekers.
“It is hard work, but it really opened my eyes to what some people experience in their lives,” she explained.
“Anglican churches are a presence in the community and often meet people at the point when they are in need.
“We get lots of volunteers for all the work we do — some who attend church and some who do not — who just want to love their neighbours.”
The diocese will connect volunteers with local host families to forge a strong network of support across the area.
Citizens UK is working with 20 strategic partners, including the Diocese of Oxford, to link Ukrainians with no connections in the UK with those who have offered accommodation under the government scheme.
The situation is rapidly changing, which adds to an already complex operation.
Many refugees are anxious about moving such a long way from home and there are bottlenecks on the UK border.
The Diocese of Oxford know the names of the first group of Ukrainians they will help thought the scheme and it is hoped that they will be settled in the Thames Valley by Easter.