Bridgend County Borough Council has welcomed news that Welsh Government is to act as a ‘super sponsor’ in the UK-wide Homes for Ukraine scheme.
This means that people fleeing the war in Ukraine who want to come to the UK can choose to be sponsored for a visa by the Welsh Government. Once a visa is granted and they arrive in the UK, people will be contacted directly by a Welsh Government’s contact centre to confirm arrangements for their arrival.
They will be eligible for free travel to one of several welcome centres which are being set up in Wales to provide immediate accommodation and support for new arrivals from Ukraine.
The welcome centres will feature support designed to ensure that the refugees can settle into life in Wales, and include translation services, lessons in speaking English and Welsh, sessions on how to cope with life in a new country and more.
Health services and school lessons will be available along with advice on finding work, and Welsh Government will work alongside local councils to find longer-term homes throughout Wales.
Councils will also be working to support refugees who arrive in the area to live with sponsors who have registered with the Home Office.
Mark Shephard, Chief Executive of Bridgend County Borough Council, said: “We have received numerous approaches from local people wishing to provide aid or to help house refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, and I would like to thank residents for their generosity, kindness and willingness to offer help.
“The welcome centres are designed to make it easier for refugees who may not have family ties to the UK or an individual sponsor to help them make their transition, and the Homes For Ukraine scheme places residents and communities right at the heart of this support.
“As an area which is already home to both Russian and Ukrainian nationals, Bridgend County Borough is ready to work alongside Welsh Government and partner organisations, and will do all that we can to support these national efforts.
“While we look forward to announcing further details on this very soon, Welsh Government is also inviting businesses and organisations to contact them with details of how they may be able to offer further support.
“Examples include hotels or holiday parks that could offer large scale accommodation for refugees and their families, transport providers who may be able to help take people to their new homes, suppliers of goods such as food, clothes and sanitary products, translators, interpreters and more.”
Businesses and organisations who may be able to offer their support can find out more and register to help at the Welsh Government website.
Welsh Government’s Sanctuary website provides more information on all aspects of life in Wales in both the Ukrainian and Russian language, and further details on how people can offer general support can be found at the Ukraine: Support for People Affected page.
Specific information on efforts to support and rehouse refugees is also available at the UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine website.