About Us
Who we are
The hub is a constituted voluntary community group based in Warrington that is open to anyone living in the area who is a host or guest under the Government Homes for Ukraine scheme or family scheme.
Our purpose is to support hosts and guests from Ukraine fleeing the War. The hub was set up by our Fouder and Vice-Chair Kate McCarthy-Booth with the intention of creating a community and in person support for all hosts and guests from Ukraine in our area. Kate is a host herself and felt when her guests arrived in April 2022 that there was a need for her guests to meet other Ukrainian people and she wanted to develop a place of support, care and community which assisted our Ukrainian guests to grow independence and settle in our country for however long they needed.
The hub was created and very quickly had a network of volunteers, a committee and volunteer co-ordinator team was formed of people who had a common bond to stand with Ukraine and support those fleeing the war. We all want to do our part and we want to create a place of support, care and an opportunity to create happy memories during a difficult time.
Seeing smiles on people’s faces, offering hugs and a warm welcome makes such a huge difference to our guests as well as them hearing a room full of chatter in their native language. You can see the relief on their faces, the hub is a place of safety, warmth, friendship and family, a place to have moments of happiness taking away in that moment the trauma and worries of the war. The hub has created a community described by our guests as family. Everyone is welcome and we have guests from ages 3-80 years old.
We support Guests and Hosts; we recognise that being a Host can be challenging and many of the Hub committee and volunteers are themselves hosts. Many hosts use the hub as a break for their families as well as a place to talk and gain support too. We have big ears when they are needed to listen confidentially and we will assist where we can and advise on where people can get the advice they need.
Funding
The hub is funded through voluntary donations, funding applications and sponsorship from local businesses. We are always fundraising and welcome ideas and support in this area, we cannot run the hub and offer what we do without continuous fundraising.
We have achieved so much in the first year of the Hub; here are some examples of the impact we have had - its made such a difference! Thank you to all our funders and supporters - what a differences you have made to so many lives!
100's Coats provided
100's of pairs of new school shoes
100's of rails of clothes
Over 50 bikes provided
100's of hours of English sessions
Laptops and tablets provided
Many visa applications completed
Funded over 25 flights to the UK
Many jobs found
Marking Ukrainian cultural celebrations
100's of children’s birthdays celebrated
Monthly trips and events
1000s of toiletries gifted
1000's of snadwiches, cakes and biscuits eaten
One amazing community family created with over 350 registered guests
Hugs, kisses, shared tears of sadness and laughter, hope, and many, many, many cups of tea and coffee.
Our Aims & Purpose
We review our aims and purpose regularly as our support and purpose is focusing on a new initiative and that therefore requires shaping and moulding to needs as and when the situation in Ukraine changes or our guests’ requirements change.
1
To provide community led support for hosts and Ukraine guests who have arrived under the Government Homes for Ukraine scheme or family scheme
2
To provide access and a liaison for support linking guests, hosts with local support organisations and peer support for guests
3
To create a safe space for Ukrainian families to meet, develop friendships and develop a local community, a place to celebrate their traditions and culture
4
To provide a place for guests to connect and network creating a community which empowers our guests to live a comfortable and happy a life as possible by understanding the UK culture, employment processes and how we live
5
To ensure that our Ukrainian guests and hosts have somewhere to seek advice and support recognising that each guest and host will have their own unique challenges and goals and everyone has different experiences and needs
6
To provide a place to improve English language skills to improve a guest’s ability to find paid employment, confidence, and children’s experience in the community and at school
Meet Our Committee
Kate McCarthy-Booth
Vice Chair
Marina Nombela
Treasurer
Leanne Borshik
Committee Co-ordinator
Helen Bennett
Admin
Adrienne Laing
Chair
Kellie Price
Secretary
Meet Our Volunteer Co-Ordinator Team
Rachel Atkin
Children's Language Co-ordinator
Fergus Laing
Refreshments Co-ordinator
Alex Borshik
Information Co-ordinator
Andy Peers
Transport & Premises Co-ordinator
Catherine Gregson
Children's Play Co-ordinator
Meet Our Ukrainian Committee
Katerina Kudina
Olha Shalaieva
Hanna Morozova
Kateryna Tsveklinska
Anatolii Shalaiev
Iryna Butskaya
Lana Summer
We formed our Ukrainian Committe in summer 2023. Our Ukrainian committee represent the needs of our guests and help organise events and celebrations.
Our committee and volunteer coordinator team is very committed to delivering a service to all Ukrainian Guests arriving under the homes for Ukraine Scheme and their hosts in the Warrington area (and beyond). All of our time is provided voluntarily and we are passionate about ensuring our hub is a place of safety and welcomes all. We meet fortnightly as a minimum and strive for the improvement of our offering and we continuously focus on our purpose. Each committee member is responsible for an area or a team of volunteers who support in their area of specialism.
As a team we are rewarded by the feedback from our guests and hosts and it makes an enormous difference to us.
"Just to see smiles and the happiness from our guests makes all the hard work worth while and brings warmth into my own heart knowing as a team we are doing something right." - Andy Peers, Transport and Premise Co-ordinator
"The impact that the Ukrainian community has had on me since starting the hub and welcoming my own Ukrainian family to live with me has been huge. The emotions that I have shared, the hugs, warmth and understanding I have of the culture and our hub family has been a really positive journey for me personally. We have built trust, they know that they are safe and we care deeply for their wellbeing, it is hugely rewarding to share in their journey and ensure that they have a place of safety where they can share and befriend other Ukrainian people, the hub takes away that feeling of isolation, loneliness and being a stranger in a new country. - Kate, Chair