Wealden MP Nus Ghani visited the Ukrainian community support and social group who meet weekly in Hellingly.
Every Monday, the Ukrainian community and their hosts, or anyone who is considering becoming a host under the Homes for Ukraine scheme are able to meet up at the Hellingly Community Hub to chat, make new friends and receive advice and support.
These gatherings are free of charge and offer refreshments, activities for children, English lessons, mental health support and assistance with settling into the community.
Since the launch of the Homes for Ukraine scheme in March, figures show that 1,227 guests have arrived in East Sussex, with 546 within the Wealden district.
East Sussex County Council have also recently announced that monthly payments available to hosts will increase by £150 until March 2023, as a thank you for their continued generosity, and to reflect the increased cost of bills over the winter.
Wealden MP Nus Ghani said: "I am immensely proud that Wealden has led the way in providing support to Ukrainian families fleeing the war and is hosting the most arrivals in East Sussex. I was pleased to meet some of the Ukrainian families living in and around Hailsham and volunteers from the East Sussex Ukraine Support, who led the coordination of local hosts with guests in Hellingly, and whom I have been liaising closely regarding visa applications, in order to secure faster arrivals to Wealden. I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all Wealden residents and volunteers involved in local support for the kindness and generosity they have shown to our Ukrainian guests over the past six months. I hope that hosts can continue to offer their homes and assistance, while the government keeps supporting Ukraine against Putin's aggression."
The original article can be accessed here.
