Coordinating support for Ukrainians refugees temporarily living in Bedford Borough

Local organisation PBIC is working closely with The Harpur Trust and Bedford Borough Council to coordinate care and support for guests from Ukraine arriving in Bedford.

The Harpur Trust and Bedford Borough Council are jointly funding towards this project to be delivered by PBIC which is helping Ukrainian people to settle into the local community whilst ensuring they are guided to the appropriate help and services they need and to which they are entitled.

We know that many organisations and individuals in Bedford Borough want to support people arriving from Ukraine. Therefore, PBIC is set to offer a central point of contact in Bedford Borough to help co-ordinate offers of support, avoid duplication and to make sure that the most appropriate support is provided to those who need it. To do this effectively, we will be setting up a Bedford Support for Ukrainian Guests Forum and we will be recruiting volunteers.

To help with effective access to mainstream services, support from the voluntary and community sector and other forms of support, we will be setting up a Bedford Support for Ukrainian Guests Forum. This forum is to become a communication platform linking organisations offering help, to Ukrainian Guests arriving in the area. We are looking to work with all organisations offering various services to those arriving in Bedford from Ukraine.

PBIC are keen to hear from organisations looking to help and encourage them to sign up to the Forum by emailing UGF@pbic.org.uk. Please include a description of the support you can offer.

To enable access to various organisations from the voluntary and community sector, private and public sectors for Ukrainian Guests facing language and cultural barriers, we will recruit volunteers who will work with PBIC advisers and when appropriate escort guests to relevant services they need. For example, volunteering in this position could involve showing guests where to find the bank or the doctor's surgery, explaining how certain services work in the UK or translating for advisors delivering sessions.

If you are interested in becoming a Ukrainian Guest support and volunteer, please email UGV@pbic.org.uk We are especially in need of those who can offer Ukrainian as a second language.

Whilst PBIC is offering a holistic support service for our Ukrainian Guests, there are some areas which we will not be covering as part of this project:

• Matching sponsors with Ukrainians prior to their arrival
• Donations sent to Ukraine and Poland for victims of the Ukrainian Crisis

However, PBIC are looking for local organisations who will work in these areas so we could refer all enquires to them accordingly.

Lucy Bardner, Community Programmes Director, The Harpur Trust said "The war in Ukraine is the biggest refugee and humanitarian crisis in Europe since the second world war. We applaud the people of Bedford who are helping by opening their homes to refugees, fundraising, and offering other support. As the grant maker that is Here For Bedford, we are funding PBIC to help make that process easier for the many voluntary groups, individuals and organisations trying to help, and to provide specialist support for refugees in a language they understand. We are pleased to be working with Bedford Borough in this time of crisis."

Dave Hodgson, Mayor of Bedford Borough said "We are grateful to be working with PBIC, The Harpur Trust and other partners as we support Ukrainians who arrive in Bedford Borough. The war in Ukraine is appalling and the people of that proud country are suffering untold hardship. I am proud of Bedford Borough's long history of being open and welcoming to migrants and refugees and once again our local communities are stepping up to support people their time of need."