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Dear Sponsors and Guests,
I can’t believe we are already nearing the end of June and six months into the year. Where has that time gone since we were all carolling and tucking into our turkey dinner?
Those of you with children will soon be preparing for the end of the school year and the 6-week summer holidays. For some of you this will mean a holiday, day trips, picnics, BBQs and spending time with your loved ones but for others it can be a time of stress, worry about childcare and how to fill the time before school starts again in September.
If this is you, please don’t struggle in silence, contact us and we will look at all the options available that may ease your concerns. You will also find lots of information on our website.
There are some ideas of things you can do on our website, along with information about youth clubs in Central Bedfordshire, and our libraries and children's centres who often host events. Don't forget that our Ukrainian guests qualify for free leisure centre and bus passes, so make the most of these over the summer holidays!
And whilst we are thinking about the summer, I thought I would just touch on the recent hot weather and how it is important for us to remain vigilant and well informed on how to stay safe and well. There is a wealth of information on the NHS website about hay fever, sunburn, heatstroke and making sure babies are safe in the sun, as well as advice from GOV.UK.
If there are any articles or information you would like including in future issues please do not hesitate to contact us with your suggestions.
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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Celebrating Vyshyvanka Day!
By Iryna Kanyuka, Ukrainian Support Liaison Officer
Back in May, the third Thursday of May to be exact, Ukrainians traditionally celebrate Vyshyvanka Day.
Vyshyvanka Day is a holiday that aims to preserve the Ukrainian folk traditions of creating and wearing traditional embroidered clothes called vyshyvankas. Vyshyvankas are one of the best-known symbols of Ukrainian culture.
Vyshyvanka Day has been celebrated since 2006, when a student of the Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University invited her classmates and students to come all in embroidered shirts one day.
Subsequently, the holiday gained national interest and started to be joined by the Ukrainian diaspora around the world.
If we go back to history, there is no clear date of the embroidered shirt origin but it is said that the Ukrainian embroidered shirt is extremely ancient. Ukrainians believed that the embroidered shirt is a talisman against all the evil that can happen in human life, and tried to encode happiness, destiny, life and will in the ornament.
The Ukrainian vyshyvanka features a variety of embroidery techniques (over 200), styles and ornamentations. The embroidered shirt is not only a traditional part of the Ukrainian wardrobe, but a national symbol of the struggle for independence, a symbol of spirit invincibility and a symbol of hope and love.
Before manufactures and factories were set up, many folks would decorate their clothes with embroidery, and many have managed to preserve embroidered shirts throughout centuries.
I want to share a photo and lovely wishes from my cousin Sharon:
"Congratulations on Vyshyvanka Day! The whole world put on the national clothes to support Ukraine... We need to believe and do everything we can: listen and help each other, communicate and hug more often, devote time to rest and pleasant hobbies, take care of loved ones (and not forget our relatives!), appreciate and live every moment of life with pleasure and overcome all adversity together! May there be a peaceful sky over (the) Ukrainian people's heads soon. Happy Vyshyvanka Day!”
News and updates
Don't forget: 'thank you' payments increase from this month
We're extremely grateful to all of our sponsors for their support in helping provide accommodation for our Ukrainian guests.
To demonstrate that, we've increased our monthly 'thank you' payments for sponsors. From this month (June) they will be increasing to £600 a month, which is considerably over the national average (of around £350).
The higher payment will be paid automatically to all our sponsors - you don't need to do anything.
Barnardo’s Ukrainian Support Helpline: support continuing until April 2024
Barnardo’s has announced continued funding for their Ukrainian Support Helpline until April 2024. Since March 2022, the Helpline has received over 35,000 contacts for support.
The Helpline is open:
Monday – Friday: 10am until 8pm
Saturday: 10am until 3pm
The Helpline offers advice and signposting, as well as practical and therapeutic support, to support families fleeing the war in Ukraine. There are three different types of support available:Tier 1: One off contact to offer emotional support, advice and signposting
Tier 2: A dedicated Advisor works with people over a number of calls to identify their support needs, ensuring that the holistic needs of the family are met. Advisors can refer people to appropriate services and support them with practical needs, and regular call backs can be arranged.
Tier 3 (Therapeutic support): In addition to Tier 2, a referral will be made to Barnardo's LINK service to offer virtual therapy to support with mental health and wellbeing. Sessions take place virtually online or via telephone. Sessions are available for children and adults, at a time that suits you.
Contact the Helpline:
Telephone: 0800 148 8586
Email: ukrainiansupport@barnardos.org.ukYour feedback will help plan a Ukrainian Community Day
The local community committee of Samuel Whitbread Academy are planning a Ukrainian community day in Biggleswade during the summer holidays. They have designed a survey because they would like to take into account the opinions of Ukrainian people in Central Bedfordshire.
The local community committee of Samuel Whitbread Academy are planning a Ukrainian community day in Biggleswade during the summer holidays. They have designed a survey because they would like to take into account the opinions of Ukrainian people in Central Bedfordshire.
Community events
The Ukraine Support Team have been out and about!
On Saturday 17 June, the Ukraine Support Team attended Dunstable Middle Row Market.
Iryna and Melissa, two of the team’s liaison officers, spent the day talking to residents about the work they do and how we are hoping to encourage more people to sign up to the Homes for Ukraine scheme as sponsors. They were joined on the day by one of our guest families who all look lovely in their traditional Ukraine headdresses.
Melissa said: “The day was a great experience with lots of locals approaching the stall and expressing their support for the people of Ukraine and asking about their traditions and culture”.
Iryna said: “It was lovely to be able to talk about my home country and what the team and Central Bedfordshire council have in place to support both guests and sponsors."
The team may be coming to a town near you soon. We will be at:
- Leighton Buzzard Market, 27 June, 9am – 2pm
- Flitwick Library, 5 July, 10am – 12:30pm
- Houghton Regis Library, 11 July, 10am – midday
We also attend the drop in Ukrainian coffee mornings at Biggleswade Youth Centre on alternate Tuesdays - the next one is on 4 July from 10am – 11:30am. Please do come along and say Привіт/Hello.
Drop-in sessions in Biggleswade
Our Ukraine Support Team are running drop-in sessions at Biggleswade Children's Centre every other fortnight from 9.30am – 12.30pm.
The team can sort out any enquiries there and then and have lots of other useful information available. You'll also be able to meet other guests, and are welcome to stay for a hot drink and a chat.
The next visits are:
- Tuesday 4 July
- Tuesday 18 July
- Tuesday 1 August
The address for Biggleswade Children’s Centre is: 137 Mead End, Biggleswade, SG18 8JU.
Mental health support for people between 16 and 25 years old
There is a new bespoke mental health support service for young people between 16 and 25 years old either living in Central Bedfordshire or attending school or college here.
The Mind BLMK Young Person’s Wellbeing Navigator Service can provide one-to-one support to young people through 8 one-hour sessions, either face-to-face, online or by phone. The sessions will equip them with the tools, skills and knowledge needed to navigate challenges and positively manage their own mental wellbeing.
Young people can refer themselves directly to the service, or can be referred by friends, family or professionals for support with their well-being and mental health. Find out how to refer.
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