Mason Moore | Hinckley Reporter | 2 September 2022

77 HOMEOWNERS across Hinckley and Bosworth have welcomed 141 Ukrainian families into their households since the Russian attack on Ukraine began in February.

The borough council have continued to provide a dedicated single point of contact officer, who helps to respond to ongoing queries from Ukrainian families and their sponsors, ensuring they stay updated with all guidance and support provision.

As well as this, the council have even been supporting Ukrainian individuals and families through a Welfare Support Service, ensuring them that they can maximise their incomes through work, benefits, and grants which are available to them.

In a statement, a Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council spokesperson stated that the local authority is ‘extremely grateful’ for the community support groups which have been launched, which offer both a source of mutual support and friendship.

To celebrate the support groups being created, the council arranged a gathering for Ukrainian guests and host families across the borough, to enable further connections and friendships to be made, whilst also marking Ukrainian Independence Day.

One host said: “Thank you for putting me in touch with the lovely support group which meets at our local church. It was very supportive and the food pack they gave us full of Ukrainian treats went down very well.

“All the people involved in volunteering or working to support our Ukrainian guests have really helped us sponsors and our guests to find what we need.”

One guest said: “The British Government gave us visas, but local people and our host helped us to feel safe and protected. My family came to Hinckley almost four months ago and we were welcomed here as a part of a big family.

“A lot of people do volunteer work, support Ukrainian families and this is extremely important and helps us to settle. We are happy to be here, and we are fortunate to come to Hinckley.”

Coun. Stuart Bray, the Borough Council’s Leader, said: “I have been absolutely amazed by the local response to help people from Ukraine who have arrived in our borough.

“In very short timescales, we have seen packages of support organised and delivered by partners across the borough ranging from toys for children, welfare support to language assistance.

He concluded: “This is so typical of the ‘can-do’ attitude from residents and partners across the borough. We cannot imagine the horrors that these Ukrainian families have witnessed, but the support and care that is being shown is inspiring.”