A COMMUNITY group sponsoring Ukrainian refugees has set up a website to expand its support.
The Ukranian Family Hub was founded in April by Kate McCarthy-Booth to offer Ukranian refugees a safe space to integrate with other Ukrainain families who were fleeing their homes during Russia's invasion of their home country.
Locals sponsored the refugees and offered to host at their homes, with many families now safe and settled in the region.
The hub has since organised activities for both Ukrainian refugees and their hosts to enjoy, including a trip to Alton Towers, a Halloween party, and a Ukrainian Independence Day party.
The group has now created the website to make guidance and the latest events more accessible to those of interest.
Alex Borshik, a volunteer at the hub who has been hosting his cousin and his daughter from Odessa, said: "We have had an amazing response from local businesses and the community which has allowed us to run regular events for our guests - we believe that these are very important in helping our guests feel welcome, form friendship groups and integrate into the local community.
"We setup the website a couple of months in response to how quickly The Hub has grown and how many people we now need to communicate with; we hope it becomes a go-to resource for the local Ukrainian community and their hosts.
"We will be keeping the website up to date with the latest events planned at The Hub and as much up-to-date guidance as we can."
The hub has been growing from strength to strength with over 200 guests registered and over 80 volunteers.
One of the members hosting a Ukrainian family at their home is a family from Newton-le-Willows, who welcomed a mum and her two sons to their home earlier this year.
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The family have since settled in and have been attending the community hub in Warrington, where other Ukrainian refugees around Newton-le-Willows and St Helens areas also meet every week.
To access the website, visit https://www.ukrainehubwarrington.co.uk/home.
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