Erica Garner, Ludlow’s Ukranian refugee coordinator, offers helpful information along with dates for the diary for volunteers, hosts, guests and supporters of Ukrainian refugees in the area.
Facebook Group
- We hope many guests and hosts will sign in to ‘Ludlow Refugee Support Group’. Please join. We hope this will be a perfect way to get messages to hosts and guests about activities and other information and, very importantly, to contact one another. So please do sign in, post, and get involved.
English and conversation lessons
- English Lessons – these continue to run at the Quakers Meeting House, St Marys Lane Ludlow SY8 1DZ:
Tuesday mornings – 10-00 – 11.45 (three levels of classes)
Wednesday evening – 6.00pm – 7.45 pm
Thursday afternoon -1.30 – 3.15 (three levels of classes)
With all of the English lesson classes, it would be helpful to confirm your attendance with Jacki Moore by email jackiamoore@gmail.com.
Saturday morning – English conversation sessions for more able speakers with Sylvia Duffy from 1.30 – 3.00 pm attendees can stay for the afternoon gathering if they would like to.
English conversation – If you are a less competent speaker, we can offer 1:1 support on Saturday mornings.
English assessments (for potential new students) Saturday 3-5
Please can you contact Jacki Moore to book one of the sessions, unless you have already agreed to this at a previous lesson Jackiamoore@gmail.com. If it is more convenient for you to change your lesson day, please inform Jacki. Hosts, please can you remind your guests of this.
Rail Travel, Buses and Co Wheels
- Transport for Wales offers free travel on their trains which travel in Shropshire. The journeys can be within Shropshire. They do not have to start or finish in Wales. Refugees must be from Ukraine and show their passports and acceptance letters from the Home Office.
- Arriva (Bus service) and community transport providers have agreed to provide free travel for Ukrainians fleeing the war. Passengers will be asked to produce their passport and boarding pass/card to access free travel.
- Co Wheels, if you need to book a car for an important journey, visit www.co-wheels.org.uk. This is a pay-as-you-go rental scheme and is based in Ludlow and Shrewsbury.
Employment Support
- The Enable team from Shropshire Council offers dedicated time with support on a 1:1 basis to find employment, write CVs and application forms, and understand the local labour market and jobs available locally. Hosts, please pass this on to your guests.
Social and Support Events – We have a lot going on during August, so please take advantage of what’s on offer.
We have two free-of-charge family-friendly events in Ludlow based at the Ludlow Assembly Rooms – Oscars studio, 1 Mill Street, Ludlow, SY8 1AZ is in the centre of Ludlow opposite the Ludlow market. Please bring your own snacks and water. There is also a café on-site, or you can pick up sandwiches or a meal at many places in the town.
Friday 5 August – 10.00 – 3.00pm, the Children’s Society, two workshops are followed by a Brightstar Boxing session for children aged 11 + (Please email Erica Garner to book a place):
10.00 am – 12noon This workshop session is aimed at guests, hosts and volunteers and is about raising awareness and understanding of exploitation for refugees.
1.00 pm – 2.00pm This session is aimed at young people and explores sensitive issues around exploitation and youth safety.
2.00 pm – 3.00pm A taster session delivered by Brightstar Boxing, a local Shropshire charity, will conduct a taster boxing and a fitness session for young people. This will be a fun event would be lovely to see as many people as possible.
Saturday 6 August, circus skills workshop
1.30 – 3.30 – There is a Circus Skills Workshop for ages 7 – 18, for young people to use a mix of circus equipment, including learning skills such as juggling and using walking globes. This will be an entertaining session for children and teenagers.
Picnic (date for your diary 13 August)
Saturday afternoon 13 August at a garden in Haytons Bent. Thank you to Bernie and David for offering up their garden. Please bring your own picnic, and we will supply the ice cream! Further details will be forwarded in due course, but please let Erica Garner know through email or Facebook if you would like to attend. We may be able to provide some lifts to guests. If transport presents an issue, please contact Peter Higgins via email peterhiggins4@gmail.com
Craft activities for Children during August (at the Quakers Meeting House)
One of our Ukraine guests, Irina, has kindly offered to deliver craft activities to children up to three days per week during the summer holidays beginning 1 August. Irina is very experienced working with children and will provide activities such as drawing, modelling, origami, gym, sports and board games. This will occur between 11.00 – 3.00pm, and children must bring a packed lunch and a drink. We will try to help with transport if necessary. There will be further details on Facebook.
- Cooking Together – There is a plan to provide a kitchen where guests can cook together and have a social – it’s a popular idea, and a solution is hopefully forthcoming. Food ingredients will be provided free of charge for guests. A community volunteer will facilitate at least the initial session. Still, it would be lovely if guests organised it themselves after the first one or two sessions and cooked the food they love, inviting other families and friends to share the food. Please contact Erica on Facebook or via email if you want to be involved.
- Clothes – A clothes rail is available on the mezzanine floor at the Quakers Meeting House. There is a growing number of good-quality donations for adult and children’s clothing with summer wear and any school clothing gathered for the autumn term. Guests and hosts can request specific items.
Children’s resources
- Children’s Clothes and Toys – Bags of clothing donated will be available for guests to look through on Saturdays or when attending lessons. Please ask if guests need anything specific for both children (and adults). We will do our best to source clothing for all. School uniforms and toys are required. If you would like to donate, please reach out.
- Toy swap – available for guests to take home and return for another. A range of books was donated by Margaret N, with support from Ludlow Library and Castle bookshop, and books can be taken home and then swapped.
Transport
- This is a significant barrier for guests to attend lessons, find work and socialise independently. There are a small number of volunteers willing to transport people to appointments. We are looking for volunteers who can help with lifts from Brown Clee, Cleobury Mortimer, Church Stretton, Clee Hill, Bishops Castle, Church Stretton and the other rural hinterland on the Herefordshire borders. Contact Peter via email peterhiggins4@gmail.com
For more information or to volunteer, please do contact Erica Garner on email: ericagarner@hotmail.co.uk.
