Caritas Diocese of Salford: How you can help people in Ukraine

Thursday 3rd March 2022

As the war in Ukraine continues, our diocesan social action charity Caritas Diocese of Salford is working hard to provide vital support to those in need.

Through its partnership with Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, and Bulgaria, as well as associated organisations such as CAFOD and the DEC Appeal, Caritas Salford has helped to direct critical aid to people in Ukraine and those displaced across Europe.

Now, as the UK prepares to welcome refugees, the charity is busily preparing to provide accommodation and additional care and support packages for people arriving in our own diocese.

The charity has also partnered with other charities and the wider VCSE sector across Greater Manchester and Lancashire to provide opportunities for fundraising, such as through the Manchester Ukraine Welcome Fund and the Greater Manchester Community Response Fund: Ukraine Crisis.

To find out more about how you can support those affected by the war both at home and across Europe, please explore the details below:

What you can do:

Donate to Caritas Internationalis

Caritas Ukraine has ‘requested that Caritas Internationalis hold income for the [Emergency Appeal]…for onward transfer at its request.’ This is due to the uncertain banking and access arrangements in Ukraine and to allow monies to support refugees in other countries. Therefore, we are encouraging those who wish to, to donate online to Caritas Internationalis, to speed up the process and ensure funds are being given to legitimate organisations through the Caritas federation.

Donate to Caritas Salford to support their Ukraine Crisis Donation Page

Caritas Salford is working hard in preparation for welcoming people from Ukraine into its existing refugee programme. The charity has a long history of welcoming, protecting, promoting, and integrating refugees from countries such as Syria and Afghanistan, and is now making the preparations to welcome refugees from Ukraine.

If you would like to support this work, please click here to find out more.

Donate to joint charity appeals across Greater Manchester and Lancashire

Caritas Salford is working with other charities across Greater Manchester and Lancashire to raise funds to help those affected by the war. Head to Manchester Ukraine Welcome Fund or the Greater Manchester Community Response Fund: Ukraine Crisis to find out more.

Donate through CAFOD and the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Appeal

The DEC have launched an appeal for humanitarian support. The UK government will match any donations collected through members of the DEC like Catholic Agency, CAFOD, who are a part of this group. Your donation could also be eligible for Gift Aid. To donate: https://cafod.org.uk/Give/Donate-to-Emergencies/Ukraine-Humanitarian-Appeal

Homes for Ukraine – Register your interest as an individual or Community Group to host Ukrainian refugees

Welcoming and providing access to safe accommodation is really important for people forced to their home and take refuge in another country. On 14^th March the UK Government announced a scheme to provide homes to people from Ukraine.

Before you commit to sponsoring, it’s incredibly important that you think through carefully what this will mean to you and your family.

A person or family fleeing Ukraine will be living with you for a minimum of 6 months, needing access to a safe place to stay. You might be in a position to offer a self-contained property or a room in your home.

You should consider what having someone to stay for this length of time might mean to you and your family. It’s a huge commitment to make and may have implications on your tenancy, council tax, home insurance or mortgage arrangements. You’ll need to make sure you research this carefully before applying.

Everyone applying to the UK Government to sponsor a person or family will need to name the people they would like to welcome. If you do not know someone looking for safety, in partnership with other agencies we are exploring ways to enable referrals for a matching system to carefully introduce you to someone who you may be able to welcome.

The government system to allow you to name who you would like to sponsor to the UK will be launched on 18 March 2022. Meanwhile, we recommend that you think about the role of sponsor and research the support in your area. Would other parishioners or neighbours be able to assist? Are you able to manage potential issues around language barriers? You may be expected to be able to offer support to access services such as registering with a doctor or setting up a bank account as well as more specialist support.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities have produced a FAQ on their Homes for Ukraine web page.

Security checks will be in place for hosts and for those being referred to the UK. DLUHC will be providing more information on these checks.

There will be ways for organisations such as businesses, community organisations and faith communities to be involved, and details will be shared when this information is available. You do not need to set up a Community Sponsorship group if you wish to welcome through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

If you find that this programme is not suitable for you, there may be other ways that you could help including supporting a host.

If you are interested in exploring this opportunity, please contact our Community Sponsorship Co-ordinator – communitysponsorship@caritassalford.org.uk.

If considering making your property available…

Do you have a residential property that is available and could be used to safely house a refugee family? Fixtures and fittings would need to comply with government standards for use of properties (visit https://www.gov.uk/renting-out-a-property for information). If you would like to register an offer, please contact communitysponsorship@caritassalford.org.uk.

Provide language support as a translator

Are you a Ukrainian or Russian speaker? Safe resettlement and integration of refugees seeking conflict depends on access to people who can translate fluently into English. If you are skilled in the main languages spoken in Ukraine, please register as a volunteer translator by contacting communitysponsorship@caritassalford.org.uk.

Register your interest as a Community Group to welcome a refugee family

On the1^st March, the Home Secretary announced that there will new routes introduced for Ukrainians seeking sanctuary, potentially through agencies like Caritas Salford who are Lead Sponsors and work with parishes to ‘sponsor’ and welcome a family. At the current time details are limited, however, we anticipate this will be similar to the scheme currently operated for refugees from Syrian. If you are interested in exploring this opportunity, please contact our Community Sponsorship Co-ordinator –communitysponsorship@caritassalford.org.uk

Write to your local MP

Through your MP, you can lobby the British government to ensure sanctions are in place on the Russian government and its associates. You can advocate on behalf of Ukrainian people seeking refuge in the UK. To get in touch with your local MP via email or post to their constituency address, visit https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-an-mp-or-lord/contact-your-mp/ for their details.

Pray for Ukraine

Please continue to keep the people of Ukraine in your prayers along with our brothers and sisters in the wider international Caritas relief effort. The following prayer has been adapted, with thanks to CAFOD.

Loving God,

We pray for the people of Ukraine, for all who are affected by war and conflict, for all who are suffering or afraid, that you will be close to them and protect them.

We pray for world leaders, that the Holy Spirit will bring them compassion, strength and wisdom to guide their choices.

We pray for all our Caritas colleagues who are assisting people who are in most need in the Ukraine, on the borders and in the neighbouring countries.

We pray for the world that in this moment of crisis, we may reach out in meaningful solidarity to our brothers and sisters in need.

Help us to walk in your ways so that peace and justice become a reality for the people of Ukraine and for all the world.

We make our prayer through Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.