Town says ‘you’re welcome’ to Ukrainian refugees fleeing war

PEOPLE volunteering to host Ukrainian refugees have been told not to be over-emotional.

The plea was made at a meeting for potential hosts held at the d:two centre in Henley, which was attended by about 130 people.

They were told the process for registering for the Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme and what to expect once they were paired with a refugee.

Dr Krish Kandiah, who founded the Sanctuary Foundation and hosted the event, said the room was “full of kindness”.

“Every little action of kindness makes a difference,” he said. “You may think you’re just helping one person but news is travelling back to Ukraine, back to families who know we are with them.”

But he added: “Emotion is a wonderful gift that can motivate us to get things done but if we’re not careful our emotion might get the worst of us.

“People coming from a war zone don’t need our angst and anxiety, they need calmness and a sense of compassion.”

Gemma Birch, who set up the refugee support network Mother Sister Daughter, added: “This isn’t like having foreign students in your home for a few weeks in the summer or having Airbnb guests that go in a week.

“These people are the most vulnerable demographic and what none of us wants to be responsible for is just missing one. If one falls through the gap, it’s one too many.”

They were among a number of speakers who addressed the audience from a podium decorated with Ukrainian flags and crafted sunflowers, a symbol of peace in Ukraine.

Among them were Ukrainians who have already made it to the UK as they have family here.

Maria Moniatovsk, 28, fled the war-torn country with her mother Nadia following the Russian invasion. They are now living with Mrs Moniatovsk’s other daughter Anastasiia Lypynska, 37, and her family in Nettlebed.

Ms Moniatovsk said: “I’m so thankful to you all here now, listening to us, interested, and caring about what is going on.

“Every day I see how much people in the UK are doing for us.

“I wish you never know what it is like when missiles are flying over your head.” Ms Lypynska said: “There are some things in life you can never be prepared for, that you’re not trained to handle.

“The appreciation we have been shown is of such power that it keeps you going when you think you can’t.”

Olga Bovrosh, 26, left Ukraine following the invasion and is now living in Henley.

She said: “I woke up on February 24 to the sound of sirens. I thought it was an ambulance or the police. It is a sound you only hear in movies.

“The first thing I did was call all my relatives, trying to know that they’re fine, they’re safe.

“Me and my boyfriend, who’s British, decided to leave Ukraine. All my relatives refused to leave because they said it is their home.”

South Oxfordshire district councillor Maggie Filipova-Rivers said that about 100 families in the district had been matched with a refugee so far and the council would help support the Ukrainians and their hosts. She said: “Things are moving really fast and are quite chaotic but to the hosts among us, and the members of the Ukrainian community, you should know your council will support you.”

Sarah Lane, a project worker at Henley youth and community group Nomad, said: “Please let us know what we can do to help and we’ll be more than happy to step in when we can.

“We can help with practical things like opening bank accounts and doing universal credit
applications.”

Town councillor David Eggleton, who has collected donations and aid for Ukraine, was moved to tears when thanking people.

He said: “I’d like to say thank you to everybody who donated and keep donating as we are still sending stuff over.”

At the end of the meeting, residents displayed a banner for the refugees reading, “You’re welcome here” in Ukrainian.