Author: Clerk

Support for Ukraine Community – Update

Support for Ukraine community update for hosts in South Cambridgeshire, as well as District Councillors, community coordinators and parish council colleagues.

Contents

  1. Which forms when? Clarification for Hosts
  2. ESOL Classes Online – new courses
  3. Creative Community Crafts Sessions
  4. Reminders

Which forms when? Clarification for Hosts

As part of our work within the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, we are obliged to ask our hosts to fill in a number of forms so that we can ensure the scheme is working as intended.  We appreciate this is a chore, but it does enable us to provide the best support for both hosts and guests and ensures the correct financial help is available at the right time. Below is clarification on when to fill out our forms to keep us updated on your guests and to receive or stop payments:

Arrivals Form to inform us of your guests’ arrival:

  • When your guests first arrive with you.
  • If they have been absent from your property for more than 4 weeks and they return.

Additional Host Payment to opt in to receive the extra £150 host monthly payment.

Leavers Form to update us when your guests:

  • Are no longer coming.
  • Have vacated your property / moved elsewhere.
  • Plan to be / have been absent for more than 4 weeks.

ESOL Classes Online – new courses

Please let your guests know that the WEA (Workers Educational Association) will start new ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) online evening courses via Zoom from March.

If guests are interested to join one of the new groups, they should register for one of the Skills Check meetings where friendly staff can help them find the right course and complete a few short tasks to see which is the best choice. The Skills Check meetings are on 6, 8 or 9 March. Please ask guests to register as soon as possible to secure a place:

Reference: C2229514 Date: 06/03/2023 11:00am

Reference: C2229515 Date: 08/03/2023 11:00am

Reference: C2229516 Date: 09/03/2023 9:15am

When registering, please quote the course reference either online at wea.org.uk or by ringing 0300 3033464. If you have any questions, please email cambs@wea.org.uk

Creative Community Crafts Sessions 

The Cambridge-based charity Rowan, which provides an arts centre and forest school for adults with learning disabilities, is welcoming all Ukrainian refugees to join them for a series of evenings of socialising, refreshments and opportunities to get creative.

The sessions, running over eight weeks, will start on 23 February and will continue to run on Thursdays from 18.30 to 21.00 at 40 Humberstone Road, Cambridge, CB4 1JG.

The sessions are FREE to attend. For further information and to sign-up, visit www.rowanhumberstone.co.uk or call on 01223 566027.

Reminders

 Free online support session for Hosts – February 15: Diary date – the next online hosts get-together session from the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT) is Wednesday 15 February from 19:30 – 21:00. Free tickets can be booked at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/support-for-hosts-of-ukrainian-families-online-event-tickets-528411201127

Updating contact details for guests: We would be grateful if you could remind your guests to return to us by tomorrow (10 February) the response form verifying their preferred means of contact.

Employment Survey: Please make your guests aware of our Ukrainian Employment/Skills Survey which will help us assess how we can best support guests into suitable employment.

Free weekly English classes: In partnership with A Learning Place, the Council provides free weekly English classes in Cottenham (Tuesdays 17.30), Sawston (Thursdays 16.15, 17.30 & 18.45) and Waterbeach (Wednesdays 16.30 & 17.40). Contact Amy on 07753 282967, email hello@alearningplace.co.uk or complete our short form. 

Volunteering: CCVS runs FREE in-person Volunteering Workshops for Ukrainian refugees who would like to learn how to be volunteers. The remaining sessions are today (9 February) and on 16 March, 10am-1pm, at 16-18 Arbury Court, Cambridge CB4 2JQ. For information or to register to attend, call 07840989719 or email ellie@cambridgecvs.org.uk

IMPORTANT NOTES

All hosts will receive information from us relating to DBS checks, accommodation checks, £350 monthly host and £350 one-off guest payments from the Government; plus additional ‘opt-in’ payments of £150 per month from this Council which we are paying to hosts in the district to help with extra costs such as rising energy bills. Once hosts have sponsored a guest for one year, their £350 payment from the Government will increase to £500 per month. For questions not covered in this update or on our Support for Ukraine webpages, please email duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk

We continue to look for new potential hosts via our Spare Room campaign which appeals for anyone who would like to get involved to apply to re-match existing guests via the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Hosts receive up to £500 per month as a thank you payment. If you are interested in hosting, or know of someone else who may be interested, please take a look at our website for details of the support available to new hosts and text ROOM to 88802.

News previously shared here can be found on our Support for Ukraine webpage and the Ukrainian Guest information hub which we encourage you to share with your guests who should be able to switch to view in their own language.

Thank you for taking the time to read this latest update. We hope that it is useful for you and your guests, and we thank you for your continued support.

Please do look out for next week’s newsletter as we will be providing a special edition on the options and support available to guests when they are ready to think about moving on to living more independently.

Bill

Bill Handley

Lead Cabinet Member for Communities

South Cambridgeshire District Council

OUR NEWS – February 2023

We are delighted to bring you February’s edition of OUR NEWS – our newsletter for Neighbourhood Watch supporters across England and Wales.   This edition includes advice on how to steer clear of romance fraud this Valentine’s Day, as well as three major cybercrime predictions for 2023, and details of a new app for reporting hate crime against the LGBTQ+ community. It also features tips for bringing your community together – from how to organise a street party for the King’s Coronation, to how to recognise and celebrate those that go above and beyond in their communities.   As well as warning of the risks of not using a qualified plumber, it includes information on how to let fresh air into your home, whilst keeping opportunistic intruders out.   We hope you enjoy this edition as much as we enjoyed creating it.   READ THE NEWSLETTER HERE   Keep safe,   John   John Hayward-Cripps | CEO NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK, Central Support Team Follow us… ourwatch.org.uk / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn Neighbourhood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349

St Ives Greenway consultation

Share your views on improvements to the St Ives Greenways opens today (6th February)

We have launched an eight-week public consultation on improving links to the St Ives Greenway (Cambridgeshire Guided Busway path) from Fen Drayton, Over, Oakington, Westwick and Cottenham.

We encourage anyone with an interest to share their views on the proposed designs. Have your say by visiting the consultation website or attending our virtual events linked below.

These two St Ives Greenway projects will provide safer and better routes for people walking, cycling and, where appropriate, horse-riding.

The consultation begins today – midday, 6th February – and closes at midday on Friday 31st March.

Your feedback will be considered as part of further design and planning work and ongoing engagement with landowners along the route.  

To find out more and share your views with us please visit the following websites:

Flooding on the route

It is well known that the main busway route is liable to flooding in the Fen Drayton lakes area and we are working to address this as part of the St Ives Greenway project.

To design the best long-term solution, we have installed flood monitoring equipment that will collect data on flooding locations, extents, duration and depth over the next 18 months.

The data this provides will help us to make informed proposals on the best approach to prevent flooding of the route in future as our climate changes.

Attend an event

There will be two virtual events on Thursday 2nd March:

The engagement we are launching today is part of a rolling programme across the 12 Greenways routes in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire, following engagement last year on six other greenway routes.

This will give communities an opportunity to shape how each will look, aiming to provide better walking and cycling connections, and cater to equestrians where appropriate.

Help us tackle catalytic converter theft

Message Type Icon Help us tackle catalytic converter theft
Catalytic converter theft in Cambridgeshire is at an all-time high.

The number of catalytic converters stolen from cars across the county has risen by 141 per cent in the past four years.

Last year (2022) thieves stole 758 catalytic converters, an average of two a day, compared to 314 in 2019.

With 133 further thefts recorded so far this year (up until 31st Jan) – more than four a day – we are urging residents to call in any suspicious behaviour around vehicles so it can be acted upon as soon as possible.

We believe there are several groups of people coming from out of the county to carry out these thefts.

It takes just minutes for these people to remove a catalytic converter and on many occasions victims are unaware their vehicle has been targeted even though it was sat on their driveway.



We’ve recently seen an increase in people reporting the thefts as they are happening which on some occasions has resulted in arrests and seizures of stolen catalytic converters.

We’re urging you to:
*Look out for vehicles jacked up (especially in the middle of the vehicle)
*Listen out for the sound of metal being cut. There may be a vehicle nearby with the engine running and two or three people involved ·  *But please don’t approach this people, they have been known to be violent in the past and may even be carrying weapons
*Instead, call us on 999 and share the vehicle number plate and any other details that could help us

Catalytic converters are found in the exhaust system of every car and reduce the output of toxic gases and pollutants. Stealing them has become popular because they are not easily identifiable when sold on for the metals found inside them.

Toyotas and Hondas have been predominantly targeted but other vehicles including Lexus, Mercedes, Mazda and Volkswagen have also been singled out.

You can read more about catalytic converter theft on our website.

Kind Regards
Detective Inspector Dan Cooper
Neighbourhood Support Team  

Ukraine update

February 03 2023

Support for Ukraine community update for hosts in South Cambridgeshire, as well as District Councillors, community coordinators and parish council colleagues.

Contents

  1. Free online support session for Hosts – February 15
  2. Grants for local groups connecting people
  3. Online event to learn about volunteering
  4. Reminders

Free online support session for Hosts

The next online hosts get-together from the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT) will be on Wednesday 15 February from 19:30 – 21:00. These virtual meetings are designed to connect you with other hosts, share experiences, and ask questions about the whole hosting experience.

The exact content of the session will be decided on the evening by those who come but may include self-care, preparing for your guests to arrive, challenges and opportunities of hosting, accessing resources in your community, thinking about the impact of trauma and help with anonymised specific challenges. Free tickets can be booked at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/support-for-hosts-of-ukrainian-families-online-event-tickets-528411201127

Grants for local groups connecting people

CPSL – the local arm of the mental health charity MIND which covers Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire – has a Good Life Fund which is offering grants of up to £1,500 to people in local communities to help set up groups that connect people. These could be book clubs, craft classes, or activities that encourage people to learn new skills  – and Ukrainian groups are welcome to apply. To find out more, visit CPSL Mind. If you would like some inspiration about what is happening in other communities, take a look at How Are You South Cambs (an NHS funded website) which has a wide variety of groups, activities, clubs and things to do that boost mental wellbeing throughout the district.

Online event to learn about volunteering

The charity CCVS (Cambridge Council for Voluntary Services) has a free-to-attend online coffee morning on 08 February at 10.30 for anyone interested in hearing how they can make a difference by volunteering with local charities. There will be a presentation from the volunteer coordinator at Cambridge Online. If your guests would like to attend, then places for the event can be reserved at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/volunteer-blend-virtual-coffee-morning-to-talk-about-volunteering-tickets-465773590347

CCVS is also running FREE in-person Volunteering Workshops for Ukrainian refugees for them to learn how to become a volunteer. These will run on 23 February, 2 March, 9 March and 16 March, from 10am to 1pm, at 16-18 Arbury Court, Cambridge CB4 2JQ. For further information or to register to attend, call 07840989719 or email ellie@cambridgecvs.org.uk Following the sessions, attendees will be offered 1:1 support to find and apply to the right volunteering opportunities.

Reminders

 Updating contact details for guests: We have emailed guests via the addresses provided as part of their visa application with requests for them verify their preferred means of contact by completing a response form to be returned to us by 10 February. This is so we can ensure they will continue to receive the best level of support for the next phase of their stay in the UK. The email and form are translated into Ukrainian. Please help your guests or complete it on their behalf if you can.

Employment Survey: We would be grateful if you could make your guests aware of our Ukrainian Employment/Skills Survey which will help us assess how we can best support guests into suitable employment.

Free weekly English classes: In partnership with A Learning Place, the Council provides free weekly English classes in Cottenham – Tuesdays 17.30; Sawston – Thursdays 16.15, 17.30 & 18.45; and Waterbeach – Wednesdays 16.30 & 17.40. Adults and young people can enrol as learners; younger children are welcome to come along (toys and activities provided). Contact Amy on 07753 282967, hello@alearningplace.co.uk or complete our short form.  

IMPORTANT NOTES

All hosts will receive information from us relating to DBS checks, accommodation checks, £350 monthly host and £350 one-off guest payments from the Government; plus additional ‘opt-in’ payments of £150 per month from this Council which we are paying to hosts in the district to help with extra costs such as rising energy bills. Once hosts have sponsored a guest for one year, their £350 payment from the Government will increase to £500 per month. For questions not covered in this update or on our Support for Ukraine webpages, please email duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk

We continue to look for new potential hosts via our Spare Room campaign which appeals for anyone who would like to get involved to apply to re-match existing guests via the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Hosts receive up to £500 per month as a thank you payment. If you are interested in hosting, or know of someone else who may be interested, please take a look at our website for details of the support available to new hosts and text ROOM to 88802.

News previously shared here can be found on our Support for Ukraine webpage and the Ukrainian Guest information hub which we encourage you to share with your guests who should be able to switch to view in their own language.

Thank you for taking the time to read this latest update. We hope that it is useful for you and your guests, and we thank you for your continued support.

Bill

Bill Handley

Lead Cabinet Member for Communities

South Cambridgeshire District Council

Neighbourhood Watch Crime Prevention Free Webinar Series

We are delighted to invite you to attend our free crime prevention webinars running during February.

Each webinar will be delivered by Neighbourhood Watch with an expert speaker on each of the topics of knife crime, burglary prevention and scams. Places are free but limited. We traditionally fill places very quickly so book your place soon to avoid disappointment. As our webinars are very popular, we ask that you only book a place if you intend to attend, to open spaces for others.

The PREVENTING BURGLARY WITH WIDEN and UNDERSTANDING THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SCAMS webinars will each be run twice – you only need to book on one of those, not both.

The EXPLOITATION, GANGS AND KNIFE CRIME AWARENESS FOR PARENTS AND CARERS is a two-part course; and we ask that ONLY PARENTS AND CARERS attend those and that you commit to attending both sessions.

BOOK YOUR PLACES HERE

More about each webinar

PREVENTING BURGLARY WITH WIDEN
Dates and times: 14th Feb 1pm – 2pm and 22nd Feb 6pm – 7pm – please attend one session only 
Speaker: Inspector Matt Coe, Sergeant Matt Coe, Crime Prevention, London Safety Centre

Sergeant Matt Coe is going to lead us through a webinar on burglary prevention and the importance of keeping your property safe and working with your neighbours. Matt has worked in the Metropolitan Police for the last 21 years, his early career was spent working in a variety of departments, from neighbourhoods policing to intelligence and surveillance, on promotion Matt ran the counter pickpocket and theft teams across Westminster where his passion for crime prevention was born. Since 2012 Matt has worked in crime prevention related roles covering the design and guidance for new housing in London, introducing new legislation and leading an innovative collaboration with the Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service to reduce demand across all three services. Additionally Matt leads on Crime Prevention as a subject matter expert and is the Crime Prevention training lead for the Metropolitan Police.


UNDERSTANDING THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SCAMS
Dates: 15th Feb, 3.30-4.30pm and 28th Feb, 5.30-6.30pm – please attend one session only
Speaker: Paul Maskall from the Fraud & Cyber Crime Prevention Manager, Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU)

Back by popular demand, Paul Maskall will host a fireside chat on the psychology of scams and explain why scammers are so effective at their crimes. This fascinating insight into the way cyber criminals identify targets, often using data sold to them by other criminals, execute scams which use emotional blackmail and rational reasoning.

Although a scary topic, the much better news is that he will teach you how to question and swiftly deal with approaches from the criminal fraternity. An unmissable opportunity to learn more about cybercrime and fraud.

EXPLOITATION, GANGS AND KNIFE CRIME AWARENESS FOR PARENTS AND CARERS
Dates: Tues 21st Feb, 7-9pm and Tues 28th Feb, 7-9pm (Both should be attended to take full advantage of this opportunity.) 
Speaker: The workshops are hosted by The Ben Kinsella Trust and they will be facilitated by Anoushka Dunic and Patrick Green.

Parents and carers will gain a greater understanding and awareness of gangs, knife crime and how to keep young people safe. Parenting children and young adults is hard. Sometimes it can be scary and overwhelming, with news stories and social media influencing how safe we feel our children are and the risks they may face in today’s climate.

These two workshops help you learn more about what is regular teenage behaviour and what might be signs that a young person in your care is vulnerable to being groomed or exploited by others. During the 2-week workshop, you will develop an understanding of the following topics:

Week 1 – Tuesday 21st of February 2023, 7-9pm

·  Introduction to the work of The Ben Kinsella Trust

·  “Attachment” and “peer” orientation

·  Stress and how this affects brain development and behaviour of young people

·  Why some children may be vulnerable to being exploited

·  Stages and signs of exploitation

·  Free resources for parents

Week 2 – Tuesday 28th February 2023, 7-9pm

·  What street gangs are, what they do, how and why

·  Language, social media, and drill music

·  The risks involved in gang lifestyles

·  County lines

·  Trauma experienced by those affected by gangs

·  Why exploited children and young adults may resist help and support

·  Building resilience within the family and community

·  Further support available for families

We hope to see you at one of the workshops.

Best wishes

Central Support Team, Neighbourhood Watch Network


ourwatch.org.uk / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn / online shop
Neighbourhood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349

WE ARE MAKING THIS A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. TOGETHER.Please note: This email has been sent to all Neighbourhood Watch supporters within our network

Rural Cost of Living Survey

The Rural Services Network in partnership with the Citizens Advice is running a Rural Cost of Living Household Survey. So far they have received 3,000 responses but would like to receive more! Please complete the survey and if you have friends or relatives who may not be able to access it please help them complete it as well.

HOW WILL THE RESULTS BE USED?

Results from the survey will build on the Rural Cost of Living research we commissioned last year and help us to lobby Government Departments, MPs and other policy makers for a fairer deal for rural communities.


The survey will run until 31 March 2023.

Richard Inman

Office and Website Manager

Rural Services Network

Tel: 01822 851370

@rsnonline

www.rsnonline.org.uk


The Rural Services Network seeks to provide a voice for rural communities by representing rural services, networking between rural service organisations and establishing and broadcasting best practice in rural service provision.

It comprises SPARSE Rural, the Rural Assembly, the wider Rural Services Partnership and the RSN Community Group. The organisation works with Rural England, a stand-alone CIC research group.

Station Road Willingham Roadworks – School Buses (6th – 10th February)

We have been advised that school buses have informed pupils that the buses using Station Road as a route for collection will not be running next week while the road is closed. This is not the case. Highways have confirmed that ALL SCHOOL BUSES WILL BE ALLOWED THROUGH AS REQUIRED DURING THE ROADWORKS. Drivers simply need to stop and request access. There may be a slight delay to times as the buses will need to travel at 5mph through the worksite. Schools have been informed of this.

Support for Ukraine community update

Here is our regular ‘Support for Ukraine community update’ containing information for hosts in South Cambridgeshire, as well District Councillors, community coordinators and parish council colleagues.

Contents:

  1. Contacting Guests for updated details
  2. Top tips for those new to hosting
  3. Free workshops for guests to learn about volunteering
  4. Reminders: Employment Survey & Free weekly English classes

Contacting Guests for updated details

The Council now needs to contact guests directly about the next phase of their stay in the UK in order to ensure they can continue to access the best level of support.

Our communications on this in the first instance will go to the email addresses provided by guests as part of their visa application, which for some may be the email address of their host if this is what was given in the initial application.

We will, of course, make you aware of any communications that we send out, so that you can support your guests by directing them to check their own emails for the latest messages. 

The first of these emails was sent out yesterday (25 January) with a deadline to respond by 10 February 2023.  The email asks guests to verify their preferred means of contact by completing a response form.  We have translated the email and form into Ukrainian.  Please help your guests or complete it on their behalf if you can.

We hope any communications from us to your guests will ensure they feel supported and will supplement the help you continue to give them.  Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about this.

Top tips for those new to hosting

Following conversations with hosts and guests, as well as with those hosts who are attending the AFT (Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice) online get-together forums, our Ukrainian Welfare Visiting Officer has put together some helpful tips for those who are new to hosting.

  1. Before your guests arrive, it is good to identify one or two people who can be part of a support team for you and your guests.  This would be to support guests with appointments, help with admin, take them out, offer a shopping trip, provide you all with a meal – whatever is needed.  This is different from introducing guests to your friends – it’s a group who are identified to guests from the beginning who are there and willing to provide additional support.  A Whatsapp group between hosts, guest and supporters can also be helpful.
  2. The first two weeks with a guest coming from outside the UK can be full on.  Set aside some time for admin, or to have support people on hand to help.
  3. Guests are tired when they first arrive – one thing a day is usually more than enough.
  4. Check on local communication networks by visiting our website or the HAY website to see if there are any local support groups for Ukrainians. Make contact before your guests arrive to see what’s on offer.
  5. When they arrive, try a normal family meal on the first day, rather than a special meal (chicken is a common choice).  This sets a manageable standard should your guests end up also cooking for you.
  6. Space and open and honest communication are the things that make placements work.  Find frequent times for just being together to enable communication, but also give yourself and them permission to take space from each other.
  7. Remember, you are not on your own.  In addition to other local hosts and groups, there is a whole team at the council, welfare visitors who you will see in the first month, project officers communicating with you about what’s on, and a move-on team for when your arrangement comes to an end.

Free workshops for guests to learn about volunteering

The charity CCVS (Cambridge Council for Voluntary Services) is running FREE Volunteering Workshops for Ukrainian refugees for them to learn how to become a volunteer.

Volunteering in your local community is a great way to make new friends – it can change lives, fight isolation and improve wellbeing, confidence and skills, making our communities better places to live and sometimes even leading to, or helping with, acquiring paid work.

There are four free-to-attend and in-person sessions running on 23 February, 2 March, 9 March and 16 March, from 10am to 1pm, at 16-18 Arbury Court, Cambridge CB4 2JQ. For further information or to register to attend, call 07840989719 or email ellie@cambridgecvs.org.uk Following the sessions, attendees will be offered 1:1 support to find and apply to the right volunteering opportunities.

Reminders:

Employment Survey: We would be grateful if you could you make your guests aware of our Ukrainian Employment/Skills Survey which will help us assess how we can best support guests into suitable employment.

Free weekly English classes: In partnership with A Learning Place, the Council provides free weekly English classes in Cottenham – Tuesdays 17.30; Sawston – Thursdays 16.15, 17.30 & 18.45; and Waterbeach – Wednesdays 16.30 & 17.40.

Adults and young people can enrol as learners; younger children are welcome to come along (toys and activities provided). Contact Amy on 07753 282967, hello@alearningplace.co.uk or complete our short form. 

IMPORTANT NOTES

All hosts will receive information from us relating to DBS checks, accommodation checks, £350 monthly host and £350 one-off guest payments from the Government; plus additional ‘opt-in’ payments of £150 per month from this Council which we are paying to hosts in the district to help with extra costs such as rising energy bills. Once hosts have sponsored a guest for one year, their £350 payment from the Government will increase to £500 per month. For questions not covered in this update or on our Support for Ukraine webpages, please email duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk

Newspreviously shared here can be found on our Support for Ukraine webpage and the Ukrainian Guest information hub which we encourage you to share with your guests who should be able to switch to view in their own language.

Thank you for taking the time to read this latest update. We hope that it is useful for you and your guests, and we thank you for your continued support.

Bill
Bill Handley
Lead Cabinet Member for Communities
South Cambridgeshire District Council

Update for those supporting refugees from Ukraine – 19 January 2023

Dear hosts, volunteer coordinators and parish council colleagues

Welcome to everyone, and especially to new hosts. This regular ‘Support for Ukraine community update’ contains information for hosts in South Cambridgeshire, as well District Councillors, community coordinators and parish council colleagues.Newspreviously shared here can be found on our Support for Ukraine webpage and the Ukrainian Guest information hub which we encourage you to share with your guests who should be able to switch to view in their own language. Please also check-in on the important notes at the bottom of the newsletter.

Campaign for more Hosts

We continue to look for new potential hosts via our Spare Room campaign which appeals for anyone who would like to get involved to apply to re-match existing guests via the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Hosts receive up to £500 per month as a thank you payment.If you are interested in hosting, or know of someone else who may be interested, please take a look at our website for details of the support available to new hosts and text ROOM to 88802.

Can you help publicise the Spare Room campaign?

A reminder to Parish Councils, local organisations or individuals who have a small space on their roadside verge in a safe and appropriate location and are willing to help us publicise the Spare Room campaign by putting up an A2 sign (like those communities put up for village fetes).

Signs can be collected from our offices in Cambourne between the hours of 9am and 4pm Monday to Friday; there is no need to contact us first. If you need to collect signs outside of these times, then please make other arrangements by emailing to duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk  We can also supply posters for noticeboards and flyers.

Reminder to complete our Hosting Survey

On 10 January 2023, we sent an email to hosts asking you to complete an updated hosting survey so we can get an idea of how long you are able to host for. If you have not done so already, please could you complete this form as soon as possible. This survey also allows you to provide feedback to the council regarding the Homes for Ukraine scheme. If we do not receive a response, we will be in contact. If you are a host and you have not received this survey, please contact us on duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk

Employment Survey

We would be grateful if you could you make your guests aware of our Ukrainian Employment/Skills Survey which will help us assess how we can best support guests into suitable employment. Ukrainian refugees are able to work in the UK for up to three years and we are collaborating with local partners, communities, and businesses to ensure we understand the barriers they may face in finding suitable employment.

What next for young Ukrainians?

Form the Future is part of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Region of Learning and offers help to unemployed Ukrainian refugees aged 15 to 24 years old to help them figure out what to do next in education or employment. 

Examples of the activities available are:

Guests should register their interest and if you have any other questions please call Form the Future on 01223 679 876, or email tpluck@formthefuture.org.uk

Still time to participate in January’s Healthy You Festival

January’s FREE, month-long online health and wellbeing festival Healthy You Virtual Festival 2023 runs until 31 January. We are running this in conjunction with Living Sport and other local city and district councils.

All activities are free, online and suitable for beginners, including sessions such as healthy eating workshops; wellbeing during the menopause classes; taster activities ranging from Pilates and Yoga to T’ai Chi and Salsa; strength training for the over 50s; and a chance to try out the exercise referral scheme which supports people with long term health conditions to get active. Pre-register online to receive the full timetable and updates about the festival programme.

Free bikes for guests

Please remind your Ukrainian guests they can apply for free bikes via the Council’s three partner charities Owl Bikes, Camtrust and Tag Bikes via our Free Bikes for Ukrainians scheme. See the Local Travel Support section of our Ukrainian Guest Information Hub. Hosts can apply online on behalf of their guests and the Council will put the applicant in touch with their supplier so they can arrange to collect their bicycle. If bikes are no longer needed, they can be returned to the supplier. Donations of more bicycles will be gratefully received by all three charities, as well as unwanted helmets, spare tyres and parts.

Free weekly English classes

In partnership with A Learning Place, the Council provides free, weekly English classes in the following villages:

Cottenham – Tuesdays 17.30

Sawston – Thursdays 16.15, 17.30 and 18.45

Waterbeach – Wednesdays 16.30 and 17.40

Adults and young people can enrol as learners; younger children are welcome to come along (toys and activities provided). New learners are always welcome and various levels of English can be accommodated. Please contact Amy on 07753 282967, hello@alearningplace.co.uk or complete our short form. 

IMPORTANT NOTES

All hosts will receive information from us relating to DBS checks, accommodation checks, £350 monthly host and £350 one-off guest payments from the Government; plus additional ‘opt-in’ payments of £150 per month from this Council which we are paying to hosts in the district to help with extra costs such as rising energy bills. Once hosts have sponsored a guest for one year, their £350 payment from the Government will increase to £500 per month. For questions not covered in this update or on our Support for Ukraine webpages, please email duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk

Thank you for taking the time to read this latest update. We hope that it is useful for you and your guests, and we thank you for your continued support.

Bill

Bill Handley
Lead Cabinet Member for Communities
South Cambridgeshire District Council