THE High Sheriff of Gloucestershire, Sir Dusty Miller, visited the Ukraine community hub in St Briavels to find out more about how it helps refugees who have found safety in the county.

During a four-and-a-half-hour visit to the hub at the Assembly Rooms on Sunday (November 20), where the Ukrainian ladies prepared a delicious Ukrainian lunch, Sir Dusty listened to their stories of trauma, heartache, hopes and tentative plans for an uncertain future away from other family members who are still in the Ukraine.

He also spoke with the local volunteers who help run the hub.

Sir Dusty told the group: “I want to say how very pleased I am that you are very welcome here in the Forest of Dean.

“I appreciate sincerely that you would all like to be at home in Ukraine but here is where you and your children can be safe for as long as necessary.

“I spend my time thanking the people who keep us safe in our communities that is mostly the police and at the same time thanking sincerely all those who do good things for our fellow citizens which is why I’m delighted to spend some time with you.”

Iryna Yilmaz, who translated for Sir Dusty, said: “We want to say thank you to all people who help us and support us in any way and care.

“We are so happy and thankful for this.

“We’ve become a big Ukrainian-British family. We connect and we have friends with Ukrainians.

“Its amazing, just amazing.

Hub organiser Karen Cockfield said “It was a great privilege to welcome Sir Dusty and introduce him to a large group of our members, many of whom he managed to have a conversation with about their situation in the Ukraine, and their struggles with a new life in the UK.

“Our group members were uplifted and reassured to realise their terrible plight away from their own country, where some have suffered the loss of loved ones, their homes and livelihoods, has not been forgotten.”

“These traumatised families need this reassurance right now, especially as we head into uncharted territory with the end of host family contracts in sight and a shortage of alternative accommodation.

“This comes at a time when many of their children have only just got settled in to a school and started making friends, which is crucial to help them feel a sense of belonging and stability.

“For them to have to face yet another major upheaval when they had already suffered so much uncertainty is unthinkable, and so damaging to their progress.

“They are already suffering a disadvantage due to the language barrier and missing so much school already.

“This is why the attention given by people like Sir Dusty, and also Vice Lord-Lieutenant Roger Deeks, who visited two weeks ago, is so important, to help keep a focus on the many issues and challenges that these lovely families face to integrate and thrive in our society.

“It is a sad fact that even with the extremely compassionate and generous British public, all good causes that hit the news eventually suffer from funding fatigue, as the swell of media coverage that helped raised initial donations subsides.

“We are reaching a critical time for living arrangements going forward, and funds are needed more than ever to assist and support these families.

‘‘Local people ask how they can help –donations to continue the works at our hub are always welcome, but we also need more transport volunteers to ferry families to and from the hub on a Sunday – or to events on other days and occasions.

“With some families still arriving, I would appeal to anyone who has some spare accommodation to consider hosting a family – or an individual, for at least six months while they find their feet and get work.

“Anyone considering this would be welcome to come to the hub and meet some of our families, or ask to be put in touch with hosts to ask their advice.

“We have a number of very talented and capable members in our group desperate to find work but need transport and in some cases flexible hours around their child care.

“All we need is some creative joined-up thinking and practical solutions; for instance, job-sharing to allow mothers to swap child care. Or maybe to work from home?

“Although our Ukraine Community Hub is having a positive impact on the quality of life for Ukrainian refugees, there are still major practical obstacles we cannot tackle alone.”

Following his visit, Sir Dusty added: “I came away genuinely stirred by everything I saw and heard.

‘‘They are safe and their children are safe, and I appreciate that safety has been their top priority but there are plenty more issues that need to be resolved before any can reach a peaceful and settled state of affairs.

“I was impressed and quietly surprised by how much the local community have given and continue to give to support the refugees across a vast range of activity in a terrific team effort to meet their needs, some of which are quite complex.

“I do recognise the community behind it who are each doing their bit and are setting an exceptional standard of care and compassion.

“Thanks to them for all that they are doing both now and into the future”.

If you want to donate or help in some way, please contact Karen Cockfield on 01594 530950 or [email protected].