Community groups and voluntary organisations who are supporting people who have settled in Nottinghamshire to escape the Ukraine conflict, will share funds worth almost £25,000.

Thanks to funding via The Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme and Nottinghamshire County Council’s Local Communities Fund, five groups have been awarded grants as part of this rolling programme to help them to continue with their work.

These groups include:

Nottingham Bikeworks – Funding worth £4,950 will help even more Ukrainian adults and young people receive a bike, lock and helmet to help boost health and wellbeing, as well as providing them with a mode of transport for travel to a place of work and/or study.

British Red Cross in Nottinghamshire will receive £5,000 to help them continue to run sessions such as an English for speakers of other languages course (ESOL) and a job prospects project (including job application writing and interview preparation), as well as sports wellbeing sessions.

Newark Community Hub – Funding worth £5,000 will support a six-month conversational English programme. It will also fund a six month programme of workshops which will focus on business support, UK business legislation, coaching, and financial planning help. The money will also go towards a 12-week wellbeing programme, including yoga sessions tailored for trauma healing, art therapy, and classes around financial stability.

Nottingham-based Voices in Refuge – A grant worth £4,975 will help 30 Ukrainian refugees to receive specialist interpreting training in both the north and south of the county. It will give people an opportunity to practice interpreting skills in relevant contexts, such as advice services, housing, welfare benefits, education, and healthcare.

Nottingham Ukrainian School – As part of a confidence and morale-boosting project, £4,920 will go towards the costs associated with a children’s choir. The aim is to help with children's psychological well-being and help them process their experiences in a healthy way. Through choir performances, Ukrainian children can positively represent their own cultural background to the local community and wider society.

Iryna Muha from the School is leading the children’s choir. Commenting on the funding, she said,

“This latest support from the council county has been warmly received.  The money will go towards our project which aims to benefit young people and help rebuild their confidence.”

Councillor John Cottee, the county council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, explains why this funding is so vital. He said,

“As a county council we have a responsibility to those people fleeing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine to help them feel welcome and safe in Nottinghamshire. We recognise the tireless work which community groups are doing to help people settle in and feel part of their local community.

“This is why our Local Communities Fund is so important as it is helping fund those groups that offer practical skills and support such as English language classes, job clubs to help people find work and community events which give advice on accessing essential services.”

Funding is being made available as part of a rolling programme, for example to help with:

  • Costs associated with supporting English language classes.
  • Costs associated with running job clubs.
  • Advice and support on financial matters.
  • Tackling loneliness and isolation through for example befriending schemes and support networks.
  • Promoting health and well-being
  • Organising community events.
  • Supporting and encouraging volunteering.

 

Eligible groups can continue to apply for up to £5,000. More details here: Homes for Ukraine Fund | Nottinghamshire County Council

The council’s dedicated webpage which provides sources of support for people affected by the invasion of Ukraine is available here. Support for Ukraine | Nottinghamshire County Council