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Dear Sponsors and Guests,
Hello everyone,
Welcome to December's Homes for Ukraine Newsletter!
I hope you managed to stay safe and warm as the temperatures dropped and winter truly set in.
This time of year we are inundated with Christmas adverts, busy with shopping and preparing for family visits but we know from news reports, media channels and from residents that the cost of living is a huge concern for many of us as we head into the festive period and the new year.
Whether you are a sponsor, a guest or you know someone who struggling we are here to help. There is lots of information on our website that you might find useful including saving money on your energy bills, debts and income, support with your water bills and employment support. Find out more about our cost of living support.
The Ukraine Support Team – as well as many of our services – will be here to take your calls and answer emails between Christmas and New Year, but our lines will be closed on 24, 25, 26, 27 and 31 December and 1 and 2 January.
However, should you find yourself in an emergency situation we have several out-of-hours emergency numbers you might find useful.
In this edition of the newsletter you will find an article written by one of our officers, Iryna, on Ukrainian Christmas traditions and some fun Christmas events happening across the county.
We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all our sponsors and hosts and to wish you and all our guests a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. We look forward to working alongside you and supporting you in 2023.
Please do remember that you can contact the Ukraine Support Team either by calling 0300 300 8855 or emailing homesforukraine@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Mel Goult, Ukraine Support Team Manager
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Ukrainian Christmas traditions
By Iryna Kanyuka, Ukrainian Support Liaison Officer
There are many traditions and rituals associated with Christmas. Today I will share the main traditions of celebrating Christmas in Ukraine.
Christmas in Ukraine can be celebrated on 25 December or 7 January. This is because different Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches within Ukraine use the old 'Julian' or the 'new' Gregorian calendars for their church festivals. Most still prefer January.
In Ukrainian Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Веселого Різдва' Veseloho Rizdva (Merry Christmas) or 'Христос Рождається' Khrystos Rozhdayetsia (Christ is Born).
The main Christmas meal, called 'Sviata Vecheria' (or Holy Supper) is eaten on Christmas Eve (6 January).
The Christmas celebration begins on Christmas Eve. Family members cook Christmas dinner consisting of 12 fasting dishes that symbolize the 12 Apostles. The main dish at the festive table is Kutia – a mix of boiled grains, honey, nuts, poppy seeds, dried fruits, and other toppings. With the appearance of the first star, which is believed to be the Star of Bethlehem, the family gathers to begin supper.
Kutia is usually eaten first. Other dishes present at the Christmas table might include mushrooms, fish, varenyky and potatoes.
After the meal, people love to sing carols or 'Koliadky'. They can be sung around the table or you might go out carolling in the streets. People sometimes carry brightly coloured stars on poles when they go carolling.
You may think you don't know any Ukrainian Christmas songs. This could be true if you aren't familiar with the world's most famous Christmas melody – 'Carol of the Bells'.
It is in fact originally a Ukrainian carol called Shchedryk (composed by Mykola Leontovych in 1914, based on the ancient Ukrainian folk songs).
The next morning after Christmas Eve is Christmas Day. On this day the fasting ends, and Ukrainians go to church and visit their relatives. Another ancient custom is Christmas carolling or Koliada. During Koliada, children and young people visit neighbours, relatives, and friends singing traditional songs and giving the families best wishes. In return, hosts give Koliada participants presents such as sweets, fruit, or money. Koliada participants wear traditional clothes and costumes. They also carry a handcrafted star that symbolizes the star that had appeared when Christ was born. Koliada begins on Christmas Eve and may last for several days.
The Christmas celebrations end on 19 January, the date of the celebration of the Baptism of Jesus, known in Ukraine as Vodokhreschhe or Yordan.
On this day, people throughout the country will go swimming or take baths. They use the ice holes on the rivers for water consecration. This extreme activity is, of course, accompanied by the frosty seasonal weather.
News and updates
Free activities for children eligible for benefit-related free school meals
Our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme is returning over the Christmas holidays, providing fun, free activities for children eligible for benefit-related free school meals.
We're working with a number of providers to offer a range of free activities for children and young people.
Activities include sports and game sessions, behind-the-scenes animal experiences, theatrical productions and craft and creative activities. We've also funded tickets for eligible children to see Cinderella at the Grove Theatre in Dunstable as part of the HAF programme.
Find out more and register children for activities on our website. You will need to register each child who is eligible for activities, and you will then receive a reference number to use when you book.
Don't forget: bus and gym passes are available for Ukrainian guests
Guests in Central Bedfordshire as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme can apply for bus passes to use on their most used bus route. We are working with the following operators:
Guests can apply for a bus pass on our website. Before applying, please check the bus route that you will be travelling on and make a note of the bus operator for that route. Make sure it is one of the bus operators listed above.
Different bus operators issue passes in different ways – find out more on our website.
Ukrainian guests in Central Bedfordshire under the Homes for Ukraine scheme can also access local leisure centres. We are working with Stevenage Leisure (SLL) to provide all Ukrainian guests on this scheme with a free three-month pass to their facilities.
Using the pass regularly will automatically grant guests an extension for a further three months, up to a total of 12 months.
We have leisure centres in Flitwick, Houghton Regis, Sandy, Biggleswade, Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard. Read the full details of our leisure centres.
Some age restrictions apply. Guests can apply for their free pass online.
Adult learning and careers support
We are delivering free maths courses for residents to help them improve their confidence using maths in everyday work and life activities.
Multiply is aimed at people aged 19-plus who live or work in Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough, and who don’t have a maths qualification (equivalent to GCSE grade C+).
Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Academy (BESA) is delivering these courses across Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough, virtually on Microsoft Teams and via eLearning modules. There are also generous incentives for learners to attend the courses, such as free food vouchers and goody bags with house and food essentials.
If one of the courses is of interest to you or to your guest, complete this short enquiry questionnaire. More information on courses and upcoming course dates is available on this Multiply flyer (PDF).
BESA also has a dedicated team of National Careers Service Advisers available for support with getting into work or learning. The team provide one to one or group support around:
- CV writing
- job applications
- interview skills
- job searching
- career progression
Appointments are available face-to-face, on Microsoft Teams or over the phone. The service is free to those aged 19 and over. For more information or support from an adviser, contact: ncs@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.
Community events
Drop-in sessions at our children's centres
We're hosting drop-in sessions for sponsors and guests to give everyone an opportunity to socialise, find out about support and share information. Children are welcome and refreshments will be provided. They will take place at:Flitwick Children's Centre, Malham Close, MK45 1PU
Sessions started on Monday 14 November and then run every other week. Please call 0300 300 8111 for more information.
Biggleswade Youth Centre, 137 Mead End, SG18 8JU
These sessions started on Tuesday 27 September, and run every other week from 10am until 11:30am. Please call 0300 300 8114 for more information.
Shefford Children's Centre, School Lane, SG17 5XA
These sessions started on Friday 20 May, and run every other week from 1pm until 3pm. Please call 0300 300 8112 for more information.
Other resources and support
Free reading resources for Ukrainian pupils
Badger Learning has translated and published a range of six dual-language, English-Ukrainian, eBook PDFs for schools and families. The language has been carefully levelled for a reading age of no higher than 8, and the files can be read on any device that accepts PDFs or can be printed out onto paper. Download them from Badger Learning's website.
Don't forget about our website!
Don’t forget about our website! We have created a whole section which covers the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, initial support for guests, how to access financial support including Universal Credit, as well as information about education, training, how to set up a bank account, health and wellbeing. Most of our website can be translated into Ukrainian.
To find out more and see what information we have available, visit: www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/ukraine-sponsors.
Contacting the Ukraine Support Team
Telephone: 0300 300 8855
Email: homesforukraine@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk