Category: Uncategorized

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

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

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

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.

Dear hosts, volunteer coordinators and parish council colleagues

We hope you all had an enjoyable and relaxing festive break and would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy New Year and reiterate our heartfelt thanks for all you are doing to help support Ukrainian guests to our district.

This regular ‘Support for Ukraine community update’ will continue to provide our hosts in South Cambridgeshire, as well District Councillors, community coordinators and parish council colleagues, with relevant information relating to the Homes for Ukraine scheme. 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. Please also check-in on the important notes at the bottom of the newsletter.

Updated Hosting Survey

As many of you are aware, the government recently announced changes and additional funding for the Homes for Ukraine scheme. One of the biggest changes is to host payments, which are being extended.

We want to ensure that we have an accurate and up-to-date log of our hosts’ intentions so we can plan our support accordingly. Next week, all hosts will receive an email from us which will include an online survey.

The purpose of this survey is so we can understand the likely duration of your hosting agreement and to provide you with a chance to give us some feedback. We appreciate that hosts have now completed several online surveys for us, but these are vital to us in managing this complex project. We ask that you please complete this survey as soon as you can when you receive it. Thank you once again for your support as hosts, which has helped so many Ukrainian people through the most traumatic of times.

Returning Guests

If your guests originally left your property, but are now wishing to return to you, then please let us know. Notify us on HFULiaison@scambs.gov.uk and complete our arrivals form, which can be found here, once your guest/s have arrived.

Campaign for more Hosts

We are still searching for new potential hosts who would like to apply to re-match existing guests through the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Our ‘Spare Room’ campaign is run in conjunction with Cambridge City Council, featuring across our social media channels (Facebook  Twitter and LinkedIn), on digital indoor and outdoor signage, in local Sky television ads and in the local press. If you are interested in hosting, or know of someone else who may be interested, please take a look at our website for information and for details of the support available to new hosts.

Our pool of hosts stood at over 600 when the Homes for Ukraine scheme first launched last year, but this has now reduced considerably. We need help finding more so that, where possible, Ukrainian guests are able to stay with alternative hosts close to where they have previously been living. Anyone who can offer help simply needs to text ROOM to 88802.

January’s Healthy You Festival

In conjunction with Living Sport and other local city and district councils, we are running a FREE, month-long online health and wellbeing festival Healthy You Virtual Festival 2023 up until 31 January.

All activities will be free, online and suitable for beginners. Sessions will include healthy eating workshops; wellbeing during the menopause classes; tasters for 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.

Help us understand the employment needs of your guests

We would be grateful if you could make your guests aware of our Ukrainian Employment/Skills Survey. This is designed to give us with a picture of 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.

CamRuss – helping guests

Before Christmas, we told you about the first cohort of Ukrainian guests who had completed English classes with The Cambridge Russian-Speaking Society (CamRuss), which is supported by South Cambridgeshire District Council. 

The Society’s English language teaching project has been running since guests first started to arrive in our district last April and is supported by more than 30 volunteers and 20 teachers and assistants.

CamRuss also runs a Helpline to facilitate communication between Ukrainian refugees and their host families by providing a translation service (Russian, English and Ukrainian). The Helpline on 05603 025975 runs from 9am-6pm weekdays and 10am-5pm on Saturdays. Many other activities and support services are available.

Free weekly English classes – Cottenham, Sawston & Waterbeach

Guests can take advantage of free weekly English lessons in Cottenham, Sawston and Waterbeach via A Learning Place which is working in partnership with the Council.

The lessons for adults and young people take place at Cottenham on Tuesdays from 5:30pm; in Sawston on Thursdays starting at 4:15pm, 5:30pm or 6:45pm; and in Waterbeach on Wednesdays at 4:30pm and 5:40pm.  Younger children are welcome to attend – toys and activities will be provided. Please contact Amy on 07753 282967, hello@alearningplace.co.uk or guests can complete our short form if they want to come along.

Other New Year English Courses

A range of new ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses are also available from the WEA (Workers Educational Association) to attend in-person starting this month. Guests can find out which English courses are best for them at two ESOL Skills Check sessions where they can talk in-person to a friendly team who can help.

There is no need to register in advance – guests should just go along to St Andrew’s Street Baptist Church, 40-43 St Andrew’s St, Cambridge, CB2 3AR on 11 January, 10am to 3pm, or 13 January, 12pm to 3pm. Or they can register online by visiting www.wea.org.uk.

Classes will be at the following times:

Online evening courses will also start to run this month. Guests can register for one of the online Zoom Skills Check meetings below on 12 or 16 January, 2023. Please register as soon as possible to secure your place via the following links:

• Professional Development, Preparation for work: ESOL Skills Check for Evening Classes (Online) (C2229446) (wea.org.uk)
• Professional Development, Preparation for work: ESOL Skills Check for Evening Classes (Online) (C2229456) (wea.org.uk)

If they are unable to register online, please call on 0300 3033464 quoting the course reference number. The timetable for the new online evening class groups will be: Entry 1 Mon and Wed 7pm; Entry 2 Tue and Thu 7pm; Entry 3/Level 1 Wed and Thu 6:30pm.

Other courses available

From this month, WEA will also be offering Level 1 and Level 2 Community Interpreting courses for anyone who speaks more than one language and is interested in volunteering or working as an interpreter and helping their local community.

Skills Check – Community Interpreting Level 1 and Level 2 courses

Skills Check Meetings for Community Interpreting courses are Online via Zoom – Dates:

• Tuesday January 10, 9:15am to 12:15pm. Enrol here https://enrolonline.wea.org.uk/Online/2022/CourseInfo.aspx?r=C2229482
• Wednesday January 11, 9:15am to 12:15pm. Enrol here https://enrolonline.wea.org.uk/Online/2022/CourseInfo.aspx?r=C2229483
• Wednesday January 11, 6pm to 9pm. Enrol here https://enrolonline.wea.org.uk/Online/2022/CourseInfo.aspx?r=C2229485

UK Driving Theory for ESOL Learners – Online course

For guests who don’t have a driving licence, this online course will help them pass the theory test. For those who do have a driving licence, it will help them understand the rules of driving in the UK. It will run from 16 January to 13 March, 2023, 12pm to 2pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. To enrol for free quote the course reference C2229100 either online at wea.org.uk or by ringing 0300 3033464. Citizenship: UK Driving Theory for ESOL Learners (C2229100) (wea.org.uk)

Join in by volunteering

Start the New Year by getting out into your local community as a volunteer. Volunteering is a great way to make new friends – it can change lives, fight isolation and improve wellbeing, confidence and skills, while making our communities better places to live. The experience of volunteering can even sometimes lead to, or help with, acquiring paid work.

Ukrainian guests who would like to volunteer can find useful information on the Cambridge Council for Voluntary Services (CCVS) website. The charity also holds virtual coffee mornings where guests can meet someone from a local community group and find out about their work and what volunteering opportunities are available. The next virtual coffee morning is on 11 January. To find out more and register please email ellie@cambridgecvs.org.uk

Free bikes available for guests

The Free Bikes for Ukrainians scheme will continue to run in 2023. Guests who would like to have a free bike can apply for one via one of the Council’s three partner charities Owl Bikes, Camtrust and Tag Bikes. To find out more about the Free Bikes for Ukrainians scheme, see the Local Travel Support section of our Ukrainian Guest Information Hub. 

Hosts can also apply online on behalf of their guests. Donations of more bicycles will be gratefully received by all three charities, as well as unwanted helmets, spare tyres and parts.

Reminder: Small Grants to help reduce social isolation for guests

Our small grants scheme also continues into 2023 and local groups can still apply for up to £300 from the Council to help fund events aimed at reducing social isolation for Ukrainian guests.

Hosts can also apply (with the written support of their Parish Council or District Councillor/s for the project) providing the event or project extends beyond their own household and into the wider Ukrainian community, for example a number of grants were given for social events leading up to the festive period. Criteria, guidance and an application form can be found on our website. Or for more information, email ukraine.grants@scambs.gov.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

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

Further to the newsletter just sent to you, please note that the link for guests to complete the Ukrainian Employment/Skills Survey is here and not as given on the newsletter.

Kind regards,

Nikki Casey | Homes for Ukraine Project Officer

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. 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. Please also check-in on the important notes at the bottom of the newsletter.

Government announcement on future funding for Homes for Ukraine scheme

Many of you will by now have heard the news (reported in last week’s newsletter) of the further financial support from the Government for the thousands of families who opened up their homes to Ukrainians fleeing the war in their country. You can read further details of this on the Government website.

The main points are:

• Homes for Ukraine hosts are to receive £500 a month as a ‘thank you’ for ongoing support after the first year of sponsorship
• £150m additional funding for councils across the UK to help support Ukrainian guests move into their own homes and to reduce the risk of homelessness
• Councils in England to get new £500m fund to acquire housing stock for those fleeing conflict (including from Ukraine and Afghanistan) and to reduce homelessness
• New potential hosts are urged to come forward and apply to re-match existing guests through the scheme.

The national change to increase the host thank you payment takes place once a guest has been sponsored for one year, while the standard thank you payment for hosts will remain at £350 until the one-year mark. This Council’s offer of a £150 opt-in top up thank you payment (in response to the cost-of-living crisis for the first 12 months of hosting) will remain. Those who have already opted in will continue to receive the increased £500 payment.

We plan to ask hosts for your views in the New Year via a survey which will help us understand how we can continue to provide the best support possible.

Christmas in South Cambs

Here are a few notes about the Christmas period for your guests – please do share the following item with them (also translated below):

Lots of people across the UK will be getting ready to celebrate Christmas. Many of you may be particularly missing home and loved ones at this time of year, as well as Christmas traditions from Ukraine. We hope that you will feel able to share your traditions with your hosts and others in the community, and that you are able to enjoy the festive period with those around you. We thought it might be useful to provide a brief introduction to Christmas in the UK, so you know what to expect.

• County Council’s website), with children back to school from 4 January

We hope you have an opportunity to take a break over the festive period and spend time with loved ones.

Різдво в Кембриджі

Багато людей у Великій Британії будуть готуватися до святкування Різдва. Багато з вас, можливо, особливо сумують за домом і близькими в цю пору року, а також за різдвяними традиціями України. Ми сподіваємося, що ви зможете поділитися своїми традиціями з вашими приймаючими сторонами та іншими членами громади, і що ви зможете насолодитися святами з тими, хто вас оточує. Ми подумали, що було б корисно коротко розповісти про Різдво у Великій Британії, щоб ви знали, чого очікувати.

• вебсайті Ради графства), а діти повертаються до школи із 4 січня.

Ми сподіваємося, що у вас буде можливість відпочити впродовж святкових днів та провести час із близькими.

Well done to our Graduates!

Congratulations to the first cohort of our Ukrainian guests who have completed English classes with The Cambridge Russian-Speaking Society (CamRuss), which is supported by South Cambridgeshire District Council.  Their achievements were marked with a graduation ceremony last Saturday.

The Society launched its English language teaching project in April as our host families started to welcome the first Ukrainian guests fleeing the war. More than 30 volunteers, supported by 20 teachers and assistants, were involved in delivering the Society’s English classes to 90 students between April and July, followed by another intake of 90 students from September.

CamRuss also runs a Helpline to facilitate communication between Ukrainian refugees and their host families by providing a translation service (Russian, English and Ukrainian). The Helpline on 05603 025975 runs from 9am-6pm weekdays and 10am-5pm on Saturdays. Many other activities and support services are available.

Healthy You Festival – free wellbeing activities in January

In conjunction with Living Sport and other local city and district councils, we are running a FREE, month-long Healthy You Virtual Festival 2023 – an online health and wellbeing festival from 1 to 31 January. We invite you and your guests to pre-register now to receive updates about what’s on in the run up to the festival.

All activities will be free and hosted online, and suitable for beginners. Sessions will include healthy eating workshops; wellbeing during the menopause classes; tasters for 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 weekly English classes – Cottenham, Sawston and Waterbeach

In partnership with A Learning Place, the Council is providing 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; various levels of English can be accommodated- please contact Amy on 07753 282967, hello@alearningplace.co.uk or complete our short form: www.bit.ly/ALP-English-classes. 

Other New Year English Courses

Please remind your guests that new ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses are available in the New Year from the WEA (Workers Educational Association). If they would like to talk to someone to work out which English courses would be best for them, then there are two ESOL Skills Check sessions available where they can talk in-person to a friendly team who can help.

There is no need to register in advance – they should just go along to St Andrew’s Street Baptist Church, 40-43 St Andrew’s St, Cambridge, CB2 3AR on:

Or they can register for the free English courses they are interested in by visiting www.wea.org.uk. The timetable for the classes will be as follows:

ESOL Evening Classes Online

WEA is also starting new ESOL classes online in the evenings from January. Guests who are interested should register at one of the online Zoom Skills Check meetings below on January 12 or 16, 2023. Please register as soon as possible to secure your place via the following links:

• Professional Development, Preparation for work: ESOL Skills Check for Evening Classes (Online) (C2229446) (wea.org.uk)
• Professional Development, Preparation for work: ESOL Skills Check for Evening Classes (Online) (C2229456) (wea.org.uk)

If they are unable to register online, please call on 0300 3033464 quoting the course reference number. The timetable for the new online evening class groups will be: 

Entry 1 Mon and Wed 7pm

Entry 2 Tue and Thu 7pm

Entry 3/Level 1 Wed and Thu 6:30pm

Other courses available

From January, WEA will also be offering Level 1 and Level 2 Community Interpreting courses for anyone who speaks more than one language and is interested in volunteering or working as an interpreter and helping their local community.

Skills Check – Community Interpreting Level 1 and Level 2 courses

Skills Check Meetings for Community Interpreting courses are Online via Zoom – Dates:

• Tuesday January 10 2023 Time: 09:15 to 12:15 Enrol here https://enrolonline.wea.org.uk/Online/2022/CourseInfo.aspx?r=C2229482
• Wednesday January 112023 Time: 09:15 to 12:15 Enrol here https://enrolonline.wea.org.uk/Online/2022/CourseInfo.aspx?r=C2229483
• Wednesday January 112023 Time: 18:00 to 21:00 Enrol here https://enrolonline.wea.org.uk/Online/2022/CourseInfo.aspx?r=C2229485

UK Driving Theory for ESOL Learners – Online course

If your guests don’t have a driving licence, this online course will help them pass the theory test or, if they do have a driving licence from their home country, it will help them understand the fundamental road rules of driving in the UK. It will run from January 16 to March 13, 2023, from 12noon to 2pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. To enrol for free please quote the course reference C2229100 either online at wea.org.uk or by ringing 0300 3033464. Citizenship: UK Driving Theory for ESOL Learners (C2229100) (wea.org.uk)

Campaign for more Hosts

Our ‘Spare Room’ campaign continues to run, encouraging more local people to join our Homes for Ukraine scheme. The campaign, run in conjunction with Cambridge City Council, continues to feature across our social media channels (Facebook Council Facebook page Twitter LinkedIn), on digital indoor and outdoor signage, in local Sky television ads and in the local press.

If you are interested in hosting, or know of someone else who may be interested, please take a look at our website for information and for details of the support available to new hosts. Anyone who can offer help simply needs to text ROOM to 88802.

Reminder: Ukrainian Employment Survey

Please could you make your guests aware of our Ukrainian Employment/Skills Survey. This is designed to help provide us with a picture on how we can best support guests into suitable employment. The Government has confirmed that Ukrainian refugees are able to work in the UK for up to three years. South Cambridgeshire District Council is collaborating with local partners, communities, and businesses to ensure we understand the barriers Ukrainian guests face in finding suitable employment.

Reminder: Holiday and Food schemes

Guest families in receipt of income-related free school meals can apply to the Christmas Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for up to 16 hours of festive activities per child which will include a daily meal and snacks. For details about the Christmas programme click on ‘South Cambridgeshire Schemes’.

Support activities for young Ukrainian guests

A private Facebook group for young Ukrainian guests aged 13 to 19 has been set up for them to connect, chat and support each other. If you have young guests staying with you, please let them know about the group. It is administered by South Cambridgeshire District Council with an adult moderator ensuring it’s a safe and secure environment. See https://www.facebook.com/groups/1424735478018690

Young Ukrainian guests may also be interested in joining Drama Classes in the new year. The classes would be for children/teenagers of 9 to 15 years old, running on Thursdays in the first and third week of each month from 3:45pm – 5:15pm, with physical warm-ups, drama activities and games to encourage different ways of communication. To register an interest, email Sheila Gosling on sheeba3434@hotmail.com

… and finally, it’s Panto-time – FREE TICKETS available for guests!

The Cambridge Arts Theatre is offering free tickets to Ukrainian families to see its Christmas panto Dick Whittington and his Cat  on Tuesday 3^rd January at 6pm. This is an opportunity for your guests to experience a quintessential British culture tradition (which you may have to explain to them in advance!). Register for free tickets here. The running time is 2hrs and 30mins, including a 20min interval.  Please be aware that there will be loud noises, haze and flashing lights during the performance.

Please note the theatre’s bag policy: In the interest of customer safety, the following items cannot be taken into the auditorium and must be stored in the cloakroom: Rucksacks or backpacks of any size, children’s rucksacks, handbags that can be worn as backpacks, handbags larger than 25cm x 35cm, shopping bags and large items such as holdalls and suitcases. Where possible, patrons should leave their bags at home.

IMPORTANT NOTES

All hosts will receive information from us relating to DBS checks, accommodation checks, £350 monthly host and £350 one-off guest payments; plus additional ‘opt-in’ payments of £150 per month which we are paying to hosts in the district to help with extra costs such as rising energy bills. 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. Following a break next week for the Christmas holiday, our newsletter will return on January 5, 2023.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our hosts and guests, and all the many organisations, groups and individuals who have worked so hard during this year to welcome Ukrainian visitors to our district, a very happy and relaxing festive Noel.  Thank you so very much for all your efforts which are truly appreciated. This will be a very difficult period for many of our guests who are unable to see and spend time with their loved ones and are worried for the safety and wellbeing of family members who are enduring extremely dangerous and worrying conditions back in the Ukraine. It will be a time of reflection for all of us and we offer our reassurance of our continuing support and our prayers for a resolution to this awful conflict in the coming New Year.

My kindest regards and best wishes,

Bill

Bill Handley

Lead Cabinet Member for Communities

South Cambridgeshire District Council