Even though the war is not shown on the news as much, that doesn’t mean the devastation has stopped, in fact that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Only a few weeks ago a dam in Kherson was bombed, leaving thousands with no homes, no food, no water, and no access to medical facilities. Sittingbourne and Sheppey Helping Ukraine, who are currently in the charity application process, have been working tirelessly to support Ukrainian families with the help of the local community.
Local residents can get involved in a lot of different ways to lend aid. The group are looking for people with certain skill sets, as they head towards charity status, and are currently looking for committee members.
They run a support hub twice a week, and are always interested in volunteers, whether it be at the hub, or around the running of it. As a small group working extremely hard, they need more hands on deck to be able to support other areas as well.
Speaking to us at CommunityAd, Michelle Henneker from the group explained: “During the last year, we have seen over 170 Ukrainians at our hub, and a lot of times their hosts too. We have seen 100% of the Ukrainian refugees arriving in the area. We are working more closely with numerous government departments now, as we have been recognised as a group managing to make a difference. As a group, we have dealt with human slavery, domestic abuse and grooming, and also human trafficking, which without us would have ended very differently.
“We are involved with primary schools locally, and you will often see us at job fairs, and other events. We are much more confident of what we can achieve than a year ago. But please remember, this all started, trying to fill Danielle Hoynes car boot with items! So we have come a long way.
“There are lots of ways to support our families. If you know of anyone, introduce yourself, say hello. Remember, for these families/individuals, it is a total change of life. Different currency, language, expectation, and so connecting with support is really important; especially for the children. They are the victims in all of these atrocities, and they just deserve to be kids, encourage your children to be friendly. They will have lifelong buddies.
“Also keep an eye on our Facebook group, as we often are calling out for necessities, as and when they arrive. Also there is currently a large list of vulnerable families trying to get out of Ukraine. We desperately need people to host these families. If you are interested, please do email [email protected], for an informal chat, and further details. You may well be saving a life.”