Hammersmith & Fulham Council continues to work with local volunteers to support our Ukrainian refugees.
The Quaker Meeting House in Hammersmith hosts monthly informative meet ups for those who have fled Russia's brutal invasion.
For the past year, these gatherings have provided a sense of community and offered practical advice and support to help with the transition to living in the UK.
"Thank you to the Hammersmith Quakers for hosting our welcome sessions and to all our dedicated local volunteers and staff for supporting our Ukrainian refugees as they rebuild their lives in London," said Cllr Rebecca Harvey, H&F Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion and Community Safety.
"It is great to see our community come together, from residents to local groups like West London Welcome and the Quakers, ensuring that people can feel safe, at home and cared for in H&F. I am proud to live in our borough that is compassionate and welcomes people with open arms and warm hearts. If you can help a local Ukrainian family, please get in touch."
Ongoing support
Mariia and her four-year-old daughter, Emilia, first visited the Quaker Meeting House in May, after arriving from Ukraine. The pair have since attended three of the monthly meet ups, including the one-year anniversary event in November.
"H&F has been really helpful. I had a lot of questions about some letters I'd received. I was a bit confused even with the translation, but they've explained everything to me here today," explained Mariia.
Officers from our refugee team are on hand at each event to offer advice and guidance. Representatives from the Ukrainian Embassy, Breaking Barriers, Shaw Trust, Barons Court Theatre, the Co-op, the Lumi Foundation, the Red Cross and the Eastern European Refugee Centre have also attended the events in the past year.
While her mum chatted to our team, Emilia got her face painted and hung out with the other kids. "She loves it and always has so much fun," added Mariia.
Creating a community
One of the volunteers, Chu Wang, helps mind the children while their parents take advantage of the help on offer. "The kids all remember each other's names," said Chu. "One girl who comes regularly is five and doesn't speak any English. But here, she gets to speak in Ukrainian to the other kids."
As well as the opportunity to meet other Ukrainians, there's also traditional food made by Liudmyla and her husband, Viktor. "We don't only come as guests to this event. We used to be chefs, so we prepare some Ukrainian-style food to offer to the people here," explained Liudmyla, who regularly attends the monthly events.
"Today we made dumplings with potatoes, cabbage and mushrooms. We also made borscht, a very special Ukrainian soup – the best! Plus, different cupcakes and cakes."
Can you help?
If you would like to help support a Ukrainian refugee, why not apply to be a Homes for Ukraine sponsor?
Find out more about the scheme through our website, including how to help guests who are looking for a new sponsor in H&F.
Read more about how we've been supporting Ukrainian refugees in our borough:
