In light of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine I have again been impressed and encouraged by the generosity of Wiltshire people in trying to help those whose lives are being turned upside down. I would like to personally thank all who have offered support so far.
Going forward it is important that this support is given in the right way. While I know for many the natural reaction to the situation in Ukraine has been to gather supplies for refugees who are being displaced (in Wiltshire alone there has already been an overwhelming amount of supplies including clothing and toiletries donated), at the moment it appears as though the best way to help is, where possible, to make monetary donations to organisations who are able to distribute help to the right places as quickly as possible. The British Red Cross, for example, has told people it does not want donated goods as they “can slow down (the Red Cross’) response”. I know many communities have been exploring the possibility of collecting donations and having volunteers drive these to Poland and neighbouring countries. While this is commendable, it is not yet clear that the logistics are in place on the ground to distribute these supplies. The situation on the ground in Eastern Europe is understandably very complicated. Medical and military supplies are being delivered by various Governments by road, and we should try to avoid clogging these routes or creating delays at ports and borders with our own vans.
One of the best ways to offer help at the moment is to make a donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s humanitarian appeal for Ukraine, which will go towards food, shelter and healthcare for displaced families. DEC charities are in Ukraine and neighbouring countries meeting the needs of all refugees - £30 could provide essential hygiene supplies for three people for one month, £50 could provide blankets for four families and £100 could provide emergency food for two families for one month. Donations of all sizes are welcome and the UK Government has pledged to match pound-for-pound the first £20 million donated to this appeal. You can donate here. Other charities you may wish to consider are Sunflower of Peace (a charity supporting paramedics and doctors in Ukraine), United Help Ukraine (which provides medical supplies and humanitarian aid) and Voices of Children (which has been supporting children affected by the war in eastern Ukraine since 2015).
Locally, the Wiltshire Community Foundation already has a Welcome Fund, to support groups working with refugees and asylum seekers in Wiltshire and Swindon, set up to support the arrival of Afghan refugees last year. This fund is aimed at helping those groups who are specifically working to support refugees, although it is open to anyone to apply for funding.
In addition to this, the Government announced this week that it would create a humanitarian sponsorship scheme which will enable local people to support refugees coming into Wiltshire, and to sponsor those who do not have a family connection that will allow them expedited entry to the UK. Those who come under this scheme will also be granted leave for an initial period of 12 months and they will be able to work and access public services. There will be no numerical limit on this scheme, and we will welcome as many Ukrainians as wish to come and have matched sponsors. Making a success of the new humanitarian sponsorship pathway will require a national effort from the entire county, and I know many in Wiltshire are very keen to step up and help in any way they can. More information on how this scheme will be implemented is due to be released. There will be lots for people to do to help, but this must be well organised.
