Donations to support Ukrainian refugees seeking safety in the Archdiocese

Dear friends of Ukraine

You may have read on the Diocesan website that Father Hudsons Care was asked by the Archbishop to oversee , support and coordinate the very generous offers of accommodation from individuals and families all around the Archdiocese. Every Wednesday morning at 8 oclock, since the war began, we have been meeting with our colleagues from the Archdiocese and the Catholic Ukrainian communities in the Archdiocese to ensure that those who wish to seek safety here would find in the midst of this crisis the support and welcome that they need.

We have also been meeting on Tuesday evenings with the hosts and we are currently in the midst of matching host families and individuals with those seeking to come here. This is a complex and sensitive process. Having fled to neighbouring European countries, that seem near to home , and to which they would hope to return soon, it is a big decision for them, especially if they have children or older relatives ,to make the much longer journey to Britain. Doing this they know that it could be some time before they see their homeland again. Those who have offered accommodation have done so with great understanding knowing that is not easy to match what we have to offer with what particular individuals and families need. Their understanding of this matches their initial generosity.

Any funds that you donate will be held by Father Hudsons Care, and only used to support parish or parish linked hosts and Ukrainian refugees in the following ways:

To recruit a worker for up to 6 months who will support the host and refugee families, particularly with the complex Visa and matching process, and then afterwards staying in touch with them and ensuring that they get the full support that they are supposed to get from the local Council and other statutory agencies. Also helping with any of the issues that will undoubtedly arise in such an emotional and complex time. Father Hudsons would seek to recruit a worker who can speak Ukrainian and/or Russian.

It is also clear that some families and individuals who arrive will need destitution support and some of this collection will be used as a crisis fund for this where necessary.

Some existing Catholic Ukrainian communities in the Archdiocese may also request some of this funding to enable their work of welcome to thrive.

Should there be any funds remaining once our local Diocesan response is in place and fully working for the time period necessary, these would be given to CAFOD for their support in Ukraine and its neighbouring countries.

Reading this you may wonder are there other ways to help. What will be really helpful, probably essential, to the hosts and Ukrainian refugees after they have arrived will be community support. Refugees from Ukraine may already have arrived in your parish. If you are aware of this your parish community could make such a difference to how well they are able to integrate and feel at home here. If you are aware that refugees have already moved into your local area and you wonder how best to offer support please contact mariagallgher@fatherhudsons.org.uk . We have also been talking with the SVP in the diocese and they too are working to help wherever they have an SVP group in a parish.

If you or anyone you know speaks reasonably fluent Ukrainian or Russian please contact teresa@fatherhudsons.org.uk. This is support that can be given by the phone and Zoom at a distance, or face-to-face. It is not necessary to live nearby.

Andy Quinn -Father Hudsons Care