Ukrainian refugee help group to hold talks with Shropshire MP
Members of the Help Ukraine-Telford group are to meet Ludlow MP Philip Dunne to try to expand their work into the south of Shropshire.
While they have been successful in providing a support network for up to 150 Ukrainian families who have fled the war torn country to come and live in the Telford area, the group is now looking to help those in other parts of the county.
The meeting, on August 9 will see them brief Mr Dunne on the work that has been carried out so far, the needs of the families who come to live in the area, and what is needed to help support them from central government. It will take place at Norton, close to Apley Farm, where the group has a barn which stores goods to go out to Ukraine.
A large van recently went out to the Donas region full of clothes, nappies, baby products and toiletries.
Lynn Cooper, who is now the chairperson of the group, which was originally set up by Lawley resident Magdalena Benadda, said they had come a long way since the war started and were keen to expand the network county wide.
She said: "We are grateful to Mr Dunne for agreeing to meet us close to where we have our storage unit and will be talking to him about the group, some of the issues the Ukrainian families face and what he could possibly do to help.
"One thing we have found is that there is a large concentration of families in the Telford and Shrewsbury areas, which are seen as big towns where transport access and work opportunities are greater.
"It's not that people don't want to live in other areas of the county but there are considerations people have which can make that less attractive.
"We already have good support from Lucy Allan in Telford, who has visited our coffee mornings and come up with some good ideas and advice.
"We are hoping to do a similar thing in the south of the county so the families aren't concentrated in just one or two areas. Mr Dunne may be able to help with that and we will be keen to meet him."
Meanwhile, the group is still looking for a permanent hub in the Telford area to provide a network of support and information for the refugees and to store items they can use when they move to homes of their own, or supplies for their trips to the Ukraine border.AS
Anyone who can or wants to donate clothing or goods to be sent to Ukraine, can e-mail Lynn at lynncooper71@yahoo.co.uk
