A dozen Folkestone & Hythe Residents step forward to help Ukrainian refugees. Can you help?

Updated 15:15 – 13/03/22

Compassionate people from Dungeness, New Romney, St Mary’s Bay, Hythe, Folkestone, Lyminge, and Stelling Minnis, have already stepped forward to help and offer to house Ukrainian refugees. You are truly wonderful people each and every one of you. We hope more will come forward.

And after posting this even more compassionate, wonderful people from our district and around Kent, have stepped forward to house and shelter Ukrainian refugees. To each of you thank you.

Across the whole of Kent more than 300 people (earlier 200)  have stepped forward, so far. Each of them  did so prior to the announcement yesterday to  open our homes to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion and the £350 a month offered under a “cash for accommodation” scheme, according to the Guardian and other National newspapers.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme, to be rolled out this week, will allow individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to bring people fleeing the war to safety – even if they have no ties to the UK.

Now there are two organization we know of who are already reaching out to ask for people to come forward to help Ukrainian refugees.

Refugees at Home – https://www.refugeesathome.org/ Note they only accept host applications if you live in a city, such as Canterbury. 

However, the other organisation, Shelter 4 UA – https://www.shelter4ua.com/en does not require you to live in a city. We can see that a dozen wonderful people , so far, in our district have already put their names forward to help and assist Ukrainian refugees. Across Kent it is is in excess of 200 people. All of them did so prior to the financial incentive was offered. All we can say is thank you to each of you. Your compassion is very welcome.

Plus there is Ukraine Take Shelter – https://www.ukrainetakeshelter.com/ – the site UkraineTakeShelter.com is an independent platform connecting Ukrainian refugees with potential hosts and housing.

In addition, Airbnb is also helping hosts open up their homes in a time of crisis.

Airbnb – https://www.airbnb.org/

The company will fund all stays and you don’t need to be an existing Airbnb Host to sign up. Anyone who can’t host can still donate to this effort

Let’s remember in Feb 2020, there were 5,059, airbnb’s in Kent, and 257,000 in the UK. That would house a lot of Ukrainian refugees.

Of course, there are vetting processes in place and other hurdles to cross. But, under the scheme Ukrainians who are matched and housed with a UK “sponsor” will be granted leave to remain for three years. They will be able to work, claim benefits and access public services in that time.

That said the Refugee Council have just today (13/03/22) been critical of the ‘Homes for Ukraine Scheme’

Yes, visa management by the Home Office has been slow and poorly managed. Yes, it could have been better, but criticism in a time like this, need not have any place, as these people need homes.  We are sure there are more within our communities, like the dozen wonderful people in our district, mentioned above, and the hundreds around Kent who’ve offered their homes, will no doubt step forward and help and assist, if they can. No matter what you can can do, housing or not, “every little helps”

The Shepway Vox Team

Compassion is the radicalism of our time