Leader of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, welcomes Ukrainians arriving in the Borough

The Leader of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, Cllr. Mark Brunt, welcomes Ukrainians arriving in the Borough.

“We are both proud and happy to have already started welcoming Ukrainians to our Borough.

We understand arriving in a foreign country under terrible circumstances, having said goodbye to loved ones – and in many cases with language challenges and few possessions – will feel very overwhelming. We know we cannot possibly make everything ok but want to make the welcome to the borough the best that it can be.

To help us plan for new arrivals in the borough and to ensure that both refugees and hosts receive the support they need, if you have registered with either of the national schemes to provide a home for refugees or welcome family members, it would be great if you could let us know via resettlement@reigate-banstead.gov.uk.  

We are pleased to be working with members of our existing local Ukrainian Community and know this will be a crucial element of helping to make those arriving feel comfortable.

Through our existing refugee resettlement services, we are able to provide money and benefits support, offer connection to a local community development worker and community centres, offering housing advice, access to dedicated volunteers and our Voluntary and Community Support services. We can also provide support through our Family Support Team and complete necessary referrals to partners including to health partners and school admissions. We know that sponsors will be a really important part of the support process, so we are working to help and support them too.

We will also be hosting weekly drop-in sessions for Ukrainian arrivals, partners, volunteers and settled members of our community from Ukraine. The sessions will offer the chance to meet other people, ask questions, socialise, practice English and get advice.

We look forward to supporting more Ukrainian people as they arrive in Reigate & Banstead  - as well as our residents who are opening their homes as sponsors via the national Homes for Ukraine scheme - GOV.UK.”