On Saturday 24 February we mark the second anniversary of the start of Putin’s war on the country.
H&F continues to stand with Ukraine and is currently home to 113 refugees, hosted by 205 local residents, thanks to the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
"The war in Ukraine has destroyed the homes and lives of innocent people and children," said Cllr Rebecca Harvey, H&F Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion and Community Safety.
"Everyone is welcome in H&F. We are proud to provide refuge, work with our community and support so many of our residents who opened their homes to welcome families and children in desperate need of a safe, secure home and shelter at a time of crisis. As a compassionate council we will continue to provide peace and security to residents fleeing conflict and to help them to make H&F their home. It's all part of our work to build a stronger, safer, kinder borough."
Years of support
In the past two years we have worked with local charities H&F Giving and West London Welcome to create the H&F Ukraine Appeal, set up to deliver support to both Ukrainian refugees and local residents affected by the crisis.
And each month H&F and Hammersmith Quakers run a support session for local Ukrainian refugees at the Hammersmith Quaker House.
H&F officers from our Housing, Adult Social Care teams, and School teams come along to speak to help anyone looking for support. The afternoons are made possible by residents who volunteer, bake cakes and make sandwiches for everyone who comes.
Dariia Symonenko, 27, a regular at the sessions who lives in Shepherds Bush with her UK hosts, Belinda, Nickolas and their cat, said:
“Everything is in one place which is so helpful. I don’t have to travel around looking for multiple places because it is all here.”
One local Fulham school, Queen's Manor Primary School, host a fundraising walk that raised more than £2,000 for Ukrainian refugees.
A taste of home
Last summer, to celebrate Eurovision, we held a party at Riverside Studios for local refugees. As well as the live screening, there games for the children and a live performance by the Ukrainian Choir DzvinCo.
H&F also hosted an art exhibition, ‘Open Hearts, Open Doors’, for Refugee Week, featuring art by Ukrainian refugees. DzvinCo entertained the crowds with traditional folk singing and dancing at the week's closing event in St Paul's Gardens.
