September 21, 2022 4.32 pm This story is over 33 months old

Lincolnshire hosts needed for 300 more Ukrainian refugees

A quarter of previous hosts set to end support in October
The Homes for Ukraine scheme allows volunteers to house refugees from the conflict| Photo: Adobe stock

Over 300 more Ukrainian refugees are expected to settle in Lincolnshire in the coming weeks.

Generous county residents have already housed more than 860 refugees since the conflict with Russia began at the end of February, with around 500 Lincolnshire households opening their doors.

However, Lincolnshire County Council’s executive for Children’s Services and Community Safety Councillor Patricia Bradwell, will tell councillors next week that the authority is in the process of contacting 3,000 people to see if they are still willing to take part in the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Her report to Full Council also said that a quarter of hosts have not confirmed they will continue to offer accommodation when sponsorship reaches the six month mark at the end of October.

“I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all sponsors for offering their hospitality,” she said.

“For those sponsors whose arrangements will come to an end, it is not easy to take strangers into your home, but you stood up when needed and I thank you for providing a place of respite from trauma for your guests.”

So far around 350 people have confirmed they are still willing to be hosts.

Elsewhere in her report, she said that around 200 children from Ukraine have been attending Lincolnshire schools since May, along with more than 70 children from Afghan families.

She also thanked local community groups for their support and generosity.

A further report from Councillor Lindsey Cawrey, the executive councillor for fire and rescue and cultural services, has praised work by local community groups including Louth Library, who have been hosting weekly coffee mornings and offering free English language classes.

There have also been deliveries of Ukrainian language books to libraries.

Potential hosts need to be able to offer accommodation for a minimum of six months, and those who are successfully matched to Ukrainian guests are offered a £350 per month ‘thank you’ payment.

They will also need to help with tasks such as registering with a GP, accessing local and public services and opening a bank account.

If you think you could commit to hosting, please complete the Lincolnshire Homes for Ukraine Team’s expression of interest form at https://bit.ly/HfULincsEOIForm