The hall was was alive with the sound of mingling
TEA, cakes and Polish-style nibbles were available at The Cornerstone in Wokingham last Sunday afternoon.
Around 120 people attended the welcome event for Ukrainian refugees and their local host families.
An opportunity to talk and to mix, the event was very well attended.
There was a positive buzz of conversation.
People chatted in English, or Ukrainian, with some using phone apps to translate between the two.
A giant game of Jenga and a craft table entertained the children.
The Revd Becky Medlicott, curate at All Saints Church, organised the event after hearing from people keen to help Wokingham’s new arrivals.
She explained: “At meetings of Churches Together Wokingham, everyone has been asking how they can support Ukrainian families. This event is a first step to begin to find that out. It’s also a place for people to make connections, share their experiences and pass on tips.”
Anna, from the Ukraine, found the afternoon helpful.
Her sister has recently joined her in Wokingham.
“It is good for new arrivals to find connections,” she said. “They can discuss their experiences here and share what they have learnt already.
They haven’t been with their host families long and their English was coming together, but here they can speak their own language, discuss their emotions, their experiences, their fears.”
The afternoon was also an opportunity for host families to pass on information and to help each other.
Win, a seasoned host, shared her experiences.
She explained: “Hosting a refugee is not simple and placements can break down.
“It’s great when people want to open their homes, but it’s important to think carefully about what you can actually offer.”
Hosts don’t simply offer a bed and somewhere to live. They help guests to participate in a new life, guiding them through all the necessary systems.
They may assist their guests with the setting up of bank accounts, with applications for financial support, or to find employment.
Securing school places for the children seems to have been the most difficult task for some of the host families.
Emma, hosting Anya and her family, said: “Having our Ukrainian family with us is great. They are lovely.
“Form filling for all the services can be tough, though, and school places are particularly difficult to find.
“I’ve had to work very hard indeed to get Anya’s son into our local primary school.”
Anya wanted to express her gratitude, and, using her phone to translate said: “I have a wonderful sponsor. She is very organised, attentive, concerned about us, and
helps us with everything.”
Becky’s event was also useful for those not able to host themselves, but who still wanted to get involved.
Not everyone can open their home, but there are other ways to support a refugee family.
One creative idea being explored by Jean and Mike is group renting.
Mike said: “We have got together with 16 of our friends. We all want to share the cost of renting a property for a Ukrainian family.
“We’ll combine our skills to become a wrap-around support team for them.
“We think this could work very well.”
The UK government Homes for Ukraine scheme provides financial support for those wanting to host a refugee family.
It is currently only available for individual hosts, but Jean and Mike are hoping that in phase two the scheme will be extended to community interest groups like the one they propose.
Viktoria from Kyiv is an English teacher.
She has only recently arrived in Wokingham, but already has plans to help her fellow Ukrainians to learn English with her fast-track ‘marathon method’ of learning.
She was pleased to be at the event and summed up the afternoon: “Now that we are in a safe place, we need to build community.
“We need to know that we are not alone.”
Sunday’s gathering confirmed that the Ukrainian community and their hosts are not alone.
Becky said: “It has been a very positive afternoon, with people sharing tips and hopefully making some new friends. We will definitely be doing this again.”