If this is the first time you are receiving this ‘Support for Ukraine community update’ from us as a host, please note that we send these out on a regular basis. They are issued whenever new and relevant information becomes available to hosts in South Cambridgeshire as well as to District Councillors, community coordinators and parish council colleagues. The idea is to share the latest updates that we have to support for the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
All information previously shared can be found on our Support for Ukraine webpage – where you will also find our ‘Ukrainian Guest information hub’ which we encourage you to share with your guests. The online information hub is our equivalent of a ‘Welcome pack’ for guests (we are sharing information digitally so that we are able to keep our information regularly updated, and guests should be able to switch to view in their own language if they wish).
Please note that in addition to these emails, all hosts will receive information from us relating to DBS checks, accommodation checks, £350 monthly host and £350 one-off guest payments; hosts should already have received information from us about this through our welcome email.
At South Cambridgeshire District Council, we have also taken the decision to make available additional ‘opt-in’ payments of £150 per month to hosts on top of the £350 payments. This is in recognition of the extra costs, particularly rising energy bills, currently being experienced by many households and impacting those hosting guests in their home. Please see the section Additional optional £150 host monthly payment on our website (scroll to half way down the page) for more information and how hosts can apply for the payment.
For any questions not covered in this e-newsletter or on our Support for Ukraine webpages, please email duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk
Campaign to appeal for additional hosts – please support us
As mentioned in last week’s email update, we are about to begin a major advertising campaign to appeal for more local hosts to support families from Ukraine. This will be a joint campaign with Cambridge City Council and will launch in the next few days. Between the two areas, a total of almost 500 hosts have already been providing housing to guests. However, with the war in Ukraine continuing, and with it not being safe for many families to return, there is an ongoing demand to provide them with a safe place to stay.
Around 20% of existing hosts are not able to continue with their arrangements beyond the initial six-month point. Their guests will already have started to forge links in their host’s community; they will have made friends, found work and send their children to school there, and it would be both unfortunate and disruptive for them to have to move to another area. This makes finding alternative hosts even more difficult, hence the need for the campaign.
The campaign will feature eye-catching messages centred around the fact that the only requirement local households need to be able to be a host is a spare room. Anyone who can offer a room will be asked to text ROOM to 88802 so that the Councils can support them through the process and match hosts to guests who have already started to settle in the local area. Television adverts will be broadcast to Sky customers in Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire, digital indoor and outdoor signage will be used, and adverts will be placed in local newspapers. Social media appeals – featuring the experiences of existing hosts and guests – will also be published.
We are asking for your support in spreading the news about this campaign. There is an image attached, featuring our campaign artwork, which you can print-out and display in windows, local shops, community notice boards and so on. We can also provide you with a signage board – like those which are used to advertise village events such as fairs and fetes – which you could display outdoors in your community. If you can display a board in a safe and appropriate location close to home, please complete our simple form by Thursday 24 November. We will then arrange for the signs to be made and be in touch to confirm when you can collect them from us at South Cambs Hall in Cambourne. Just so you know, we have also offered this opportunity to our District Councillors, so you may wish to chat with your local Councillor about placements in your communities. Thank you for your support.
In-person checks starting now
A reminder that we are now starting the in-person checks with guests, in line with Government requirements for the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Moving forward, these visits will take place at around the time a guest has been with a host for six months and will see Council staff visiting each host property. The visits will be brief, but support from hosts will be really appreciated as we may need to come into your property.
Private Facebook group offers safe ‘meeting place’ for young Ukrainian guests
A private Facebook group especially for young guests aged 13 to 19 who have arrived in South Cambridgeshire as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme has been set up to enable them to connect, chat with and support each other.
This private Facebook group is being administered by South Cambridgeshire District Council, with an adult moderator on the group making sure it’s a safe and secure environment in which to participate. If you have young Ukrainian guests staying with you, please encourage them to take a look at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1424735478018690
Free 6-month membership for guests to Better Health Centres
Better leisure centres, sports facilities, pools and gyms across England and Wales are supporting refugees resettling in England and Wales with a free Better Health Centre (Off-Peak) membership for a fixed six-month period. The scheme is open to all Ukrainian refugees who have been granted refugee resettlement status in the last 12 months by the UK Government. Individual refugees can apply directly, while family hosts, charities such as RESET, the Red Cross and the Refugee Council can also apply on behalf of a refugee.
All Better-operated facilities across England and Wales are participating in the scheme, including leisure centres, gyms and swimming pools. In Cambridgeshire, these are:
Parkside Pools and Gym Gonville Place, Cambridge CB1 1LY
Jesus Green Lido Off Chesterton Road, Cambridge CB4 3AX
Abbey Leisure Complex Whitehill Road, Cambridge CB5 8NT
Kings Hedges Learner Pool Jedburgh Court, Buchan Street, Cambridge CB4 2XF
Cherry Hinton Village Leisure Centre Colville Road, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 9EJ
Cambridge Ice Arena Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8AA
The Hive Leisure Centre Ely, 15 Ely Leisure Village, Downham Road, Ely CB6 2FE
Bike mechanic vacancy with OWL Bikes
OWL Bikes is recruiting a Bike Mechanic to help the team with the delivery our Free Bike Scheme for Ukrainian Guests. As part of the Papworth Trust, it is one of the charities we are working closely with to get the bikes road-ready and safe for our Ukrainian guests. If you know of anyone interested in the role, then it is offering a range of benefits alongside an annual salary.
To apply, interested parties should email una.davis@papworthtrust.org.uk saying what attracted them to this role and attaching their CV. For an informal chat about the role, please give Una a call on 07977260403.
Free ESOL courses in Great Shelford
The WEA has started delivering face-to-face ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses in Great Shelford since the beginning of November. To join one of the ESOL groups, please register for the WEA course by this Friday, November 18. The courses are free-of-charge and will take place at Shelford Parish Church (St Mary’s) Community Room, Church Street, CB22 5EL.
Ref: C2229270 PIN: 46295 ESOL – Intro to ESOL Entry 1 Beginners only – Wed & Fri 9:30-11:30. ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) , Entry: ESOL – Intro to ESOL Entry 1 (C2229270) (wea.org.uk)
Ref: C2229271 PIN: 64601 ESOL – Intro to ESOL Entry 2 Higher Beginners only – Fri 11:30-13:30, Sat 13:30-15:30. ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) , Entry: ESOL – Intro to ESOL Entry 2 (C2229271) (wea.org.uk)
You can register either online by following the course links above or over the phone on 0300 3033464. You will need the course reference and PIN. If you have any questions, please email cambs@wea.ac.uk
English classes in Cottenham, Sawston and Waterbeach
A reminder that places are also available on English classes in Cottenham, Sawston, and also now in Waterbeach. These classes are run by A Learning Place Ltd in partnership with South Cambridgeshire District Council and are provided free-of-charge on a weekly basis.
Adults, teenagers and older children can enrol as learners, while younger children are welcome to come along (toys are provided). New learners are always welcome and various levels of English can be accommodated. Please contact Amy on 07753 282967, hello@alearningplace.co.uk or complete our short form: www.bit.ly/ALP-English-classes.
Small Grants to help reduce social isolation for guests
Christmas is coming and it is likely to be a very difficult time for Ukrainian guests, who are so far away from their country and their loved ones. It’s worth us giving a reminder that the Council is offering up to £300 per project for events which can help reduce social isolation amongst Ukrainian guests and this is something which could be used towards festive events to bring people together. A good example is a plan in the Meldreth area to hold a Christmas get-together for guests for which the Council has just approved a grant.
Applicable projects should encourage guest families to feel more involved in the local community and life in Britain. Parish councils, community groups, informal groups or individual hosts are invited to apply. Criteria, guidance and an application form can be found on our website. Or for more information, email ukraine.grants@scambs.gov.uk
Online support session for Hosts – November 23
Please do take a look at the online chat events for hosts being run by The Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT). These virtual meetings are designed to connect you with other hosts, share experiences, and ask questions about the whole hosting experience. There will also be therapists available to talk about supporting your guests who have suffered traumatic experiences or who may be experiencing difficulties with their mental wellbeing. The next session takes place online on Wednesday, 23 November, from 7.30pm, lasting 90 minutes. Please do sign up if you would like to join in.
Places still available at the Outdoor Forest School
The special outdoor Forest School currently running weekly at Milton Country Park still has a few places available for children aged 8-11 from families who are registered under the Homes for Ukraine scheme in South Cambridgeshire.
The youngsters will be offered lots of fun activities and a chance to make friends and develop their confidence and self-esteem as they learn through hands-on experience in a natural setting and with lots of fresh air. They will learn bushcraft skills, how to build a den, enjoy pond dipping, treasure hunts and lots more. Sessions are held weekly at the Wild Place at Milton Country Park on Sunday mornings from 10am to 12 noon, up to and including December 18. For more information or to register interest in attending, email to ufs@cambridgesportlakes.org.uk
Thank you for taking the time to read this latest update. We hope that it is useful for you and your guests, and we thank you for your continued support.
Bill
Bill Handley
Lead Cabinet Member for Communities
South Cambridgeshire District Council