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Martham church to set up Ukraine refugee help

Martham Parish Churches are planning a co-ordinated response to the Ukrainian refugee housing need, and are encouraging anyone in the Martham area of Norfolk who wishes to help to get in touch.

Rev Dr Steven Sivyer, Priest-in-Charge at Martham Church, explains: “We are tentatively looking as a church to co-ordinate individuals’ applications to house refugee families.  The advantage of such co-ordinating is that, together, we will be able to offer homes to connected Ukrainian families, to ensure that they are not isolated but have other Ukrainian families locally. 
"We would look to pool some resources to benefit the small community of Ukrainians such as access to a car and achieve things beyond what is possible if an individual housed one individual or family.  We would also be able to offer homes to extended families such as cousins to stay reasonably close to one another if we could co-ordinate our offers of homes.” 
 
It may be that someone not in a position to offer accommodation for a family would, nonetheless, like to offer help to those who can. Alternatively, there is a real need for a local employer to offer employment to Ukrainian adults, as they will be seeking to stay somewhere where they can work and contribute towards society rather than simply sit in a room.
 
At this stage the church is asking people to simply register an interest to help.  This situation is of course fluid and will be subject to change in the future, not least as it will be dependent on government policy.  It is also the case that the humanitarian sponsorship route is currently still being designed.
 
Anyone considering registering an interest is urged to consider the possible impact on themselves and their household, and should consider the points listed on the Martham Churches website.
 
If you are still potentially interested in becoming hosts together, or are willing to help hosts, or can offer employment to Ukrainians, please complete and submit the short form from the link below.  Alternatively, please call Joan Shaw on 07905 535276 and ask her to complete the form on your behalf.
 
Complete and submit the form here

The image above is courtesy of MarthamChurches.org


 

TonyRothe150Do you have a news story or forthcoming event relating to Christians or a church in East Norfolk?  

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Tony Rothe, 29/03/2022

Tony Rothe
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