Ukraine fundraising appeal: Here's how you can help refugees in West Sussex
and live on Freeview channel 276
The Worthing Ukrainian Friends Network is helping the integration and wellbeing of many of the refugees arriving to stay with local hosts.
Most are young women graduates, many with young children who have had to leave their partners in war-torn Ukraine. Some have suffered severe trauma and lost their homes, before becoming refugees after the Russian invasion.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdA weekly social meeting place was set up and St.George’s Church hosted English lessons.
Network Founder Mike Tyler said: “It is a privilege for our small team of volunteers to get to know these amazingly resilient and stoical people, who have suffered so much and we hope we can together with the community make them feel welcome and help their wellbeing while they are with us.”
Many of the refugees are now finding local employment. A group of seven Ukrainian women were invited to visit Westminster to meet Worthing MPs.
After a welcome by Worthing West MP, Sir Peter Bottomley, they were given a tour of Parliament and a helpful Q&A session with East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton. The women were able to watch a Government debate on Ukrainian support from the visitors gallery.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdOne of these women, Tetiana Zakaluishna, said: “This visit was a great privilege for us and made a truly encouraging and memorable day. We are so grateful for all the help we are receiving in Worthing in these difficult times.”
Have you read?: Ukrainian refugees share horrors of war - and have special message for people of Worthing
Yaroslava Matvieienko, who worked as a journalist in Ukraine before fleeing to Worthing, said the opportunity to ask the MPs questions was a great opportunity to ‘actually be heard’.
She added: “It’s something we do not experience often in our own country.
“Our questions to MP Tim Loughton were divided into two parts: how Ukrainians here can help their homeland, friends, and family left there as well as local issues they struggle with everyday such as accommodation, finding a job, transport, education and health.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad
“The answers to the first two lie in the direction of laws and programs provided by the British government as well as availability, for example, of hosts, places to rent, and vacancies. The others are more specific and personal and therefore to be taken into concern in every case individually.
"Starting with rather a sober mood our one-hour meeting ended up on a bright and hopeful note of setting up in the nearest future a bigger event so more co-refugees have the opportunity to tell about the struggles they face and hear about what possible options might solve their problems.”
Yaroslava said that, in the case of Ukrainian refugees living in West Sussex, the Parliament visit ‘was both seeing and hearing what they read about before’.
She added: “Without exaggerating it was a historical day in their lives. I was one of the lucky seven women invited to join the tour inside the Houses of Parliament and meet our local MPs personally.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad
"Sir Peter Bottomley welcomed us inside being the best host ever with his experience and knowledge to share with us, his sense of humour as well as respect towards the events each of us has been through for the past half a year.
"Members of his team provided us with a short but exciting tour packed with information about the most interesting places, cases, and facts.
"Another additional bonus was waiting for us this day just around the corner of the Houses of Common. Sitting in the visitors’ gallery and listening to the debates about the urgent question of determining the possible additional help for Ukraine made us even more excited in our whole day experience.”
Yaroslava experienced another historic moment when she saw the late Queen lying in state.
"Witnessing important decisions made about your homeland in the heart of the country that showed us what true support and friendship is,” she said. “It was a truly lifetime-inspiring experience and a privilege.”
The Friends Network invites donations which can be made through their website: www.ukrainianfriends.net.
