20th July 2023

A Big Lincolnshire Welcome

Host & Guest e-newsletter

Welcome to the latest issue of our host and guest e-newsletter. If you can, why not sit down together to read it?

New dedicated ‘Learning to Speak English’ page on ‘Connect to Support’ website

There’s a new page on the ‘Connect to Support’ website dedicated to helping guests in Lincolnshire learn to speak English. This includes a list of organisations running ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses.

As well as links to online resources for both adults and children, there are now two new maps where you can find courses, activities and events near you:

Information on ‘Connect to Support’ can easily be translated into Ukrainian or Russian using the "Select Language" button at the top of the screen.

Bringing a vehicle to the UK

If you came over to the UK with a vehicle, you must register this vehicle with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if you are in the UK for longer than six months. You can register the vehicle on the DVLA website. You must also tax this vehicle - instructions are available on the gov.uk website.

If at any time during your stay in the UK your circumstances change, or the vehicle is involved in a road traffic accident, or the vehicle will remain in the UK, please contact the National Temporary Admissions Section (NTAS) on 0300 322 7064 (option 3) or citex.temporaryadmissionsteam@hmrc.gov.uk

Universal Credit and guests travelling abroad over the summer

Any guests who are planning on being out of the country need to tell the Job Centre in advance of going abroad. This will not affect their ongoing Universal Credit payment as long as the period does not exceed 28 days.

Advance notification will help the Job Centre manage their case (for example, by rescheduling any meetings that are due to occur while the guest is abroad reducing the risk of claim closure for non-attendance at appointments).

Guests should also keep their hosts updated with any travel arrangements/plans.

Changes to in-person support from Citizens Advice

Working in partnership with Citizens Advice and Wellbeing Lincs, we're pleased to have delivered a series of in-person support sessions for guests and hosts at community groups across the county.

Following feedback from colleagues and community groups, we will continue to run these sessions at Jubilee Church Life Centre in Grantham from 9.30am-1pm on the following dates:

Tuesday 25 July 2023
Thursday 3 August 2023
Thursday 10 August 2023
Thursday 17 August 2023
Thursday 24 August 2023
Thursday 31 August 2023

There's also a dedicated helpline number and email address for Ukrainian guests in Lincolnshire: 0344 847 6128 / ukraine@citizensadvicesouthlincs.org.uk

Citizens Advice can help with a range of topics including benefits, debt and money, employment, consumer issues, housing, family and immigration. They can also provide home visits within rural areas and occasional attendance at community groups in Lincolnshire, with translation support available. Please contact ukraine@citizensadvicesouthlincs.org.uk for more information.

Ethnic Minority and Traveller Education Team (EMTET) – Education Survey

Lincolnshire County Council’s EMTET team provides support to children from ethnic minority backgrounds, including those learning English as an additional language. The team works with schools to promote children's integration, academic progress and cultural heritage.

EMTET would like to invite you to complete a survey regarding your and your children’s experiences of education to help them better understand what’s working well and what challenges exist.

The survey, which closes on 31 July 2023, can be answered in Ukrainian, Russian or English using the links below:

Still time to book for the summer Holiday Activities and Food programme

With Lincolnshire schools finishing for the summer this Friday, there’s still time to book for the summer Holiday Activities and Food programme, taking place from Monday 24 July to Tuesday 5 September 2023 (excluding weekends and bank holidays).

The Holiday Activities and Food programme is a government funded programme that provides all children aged 5 to 16 years in receipt of benefits related free school meals in Lincolnshire, including all children on the 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme, access to free healthy meals and activities over the summer, Christmas and Easter holidays.

To book on to a club, you will require a HAF E-voucher, which are provided by schools. E-vouchers will include a link to the booking site.

More information about the programme, along with details of how to book is available on the ‘Connect to Support’ website.

Reminder - please complete our 12 month guest survey

All guests who are reaching 12 months of living in the UK and still in a hosting arrangement will receive an electronic survey via email from the Ukraine Wellbeing Team at Wellbeing Lincs. Please look out for an email from ukraine.wellbeing@e-lindsey.gov.uk (please also check your junk/spam folders).

We’d be grateful if you could take the time to complete the survey as it helps us to understand how we can support you further.

Reminder - New funding available from the Lincolnshire Community Foundation’s ‘Big Lincolnshire Welcome Fund’

The Lincolnshire Community Foundation is pleased to announce a further re-launch of the ‘Big Lincolnshire Welcome Fund.’ This is thanks to a funding boost from the central government’s 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme via Lincolnshire County Council.

Any Ukrainian guests in Lincolnshire (excluding North and North East Lincolnshire), who have not previously applied and received support from the ‘Big Lincolnshire Welcome Fund’, can apply and choose for themselves what essential item(s) up to the value of £150 for an individual or £300 for a family unit, they need to feel welcomed and integrated into their new surroundings.

For full guidance and details of how to apply, please visit the Lincolnshire Community Foundation website.

Events

Walking and Talking in Nature Group
10.30am-12.30pm every Tuesday

The ‘Walking and Talking in Nature’ group connects people to create meaningful friendships with each other, facilitated by one of NW Counselling Hub’s qualified Counsellors, Andrew Cox.

The group runs every Tuesday, meeting outside the Visitor Centre at Hartsholme Country Park in Lincoln. Andrew will lead the group on a leisurely walk around the park and participants can have a general chat, with the opportunity to reflect on their mental health and wellbeing. Anyone over the age of 18 can participate and you can just book and turn up.

Book your free session on Eventbrite or contact emma.beeson@nwcounsellinghub.co.uk / 01522 253809 for more information.

Stourton Sunflower Experience
Booking open for Sunday 23 & Sunday 30 July 2023

Come and enjoy the Stourton Sunflower Experience with a tractor and trailer ride taking you directly to the sunflower field.

Featuring a 1km (approx.) walking trail through the field of sunflowers, you can enjoy the trail at your leisure taking some wonderful photos along the way. There will also be a designated ‘picking area’ of the field to cut your stems and take home – so don’t forget your secateurs/scissors!

Cost: £4 per person, including parking and three sunflowers to take home.

Find out more on the Stourton Estates website.

Heckington Show
Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 July 2023

The Heckington Show is a true family day out, a quintessentially English summer occasion for families and friends to enjoy and take part in an event that brings competition and co-operation, pride and pleasure, sunshine and smiles to a summer’s day. Plus grand firework display and open air concert on Saturday at 7pm.

Ticket prices: from £13 (£5 for children aged 5-17, free for under 5s).

Find out more on the Heckington Show website.

Your events

Please send any events for this newsletter to: homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk

New or existing events, activities and any other support services open to Ukrainian guests can also be added to the 'Connect to Support' directory by completing the sign-up form (add ‘Ukraine Support’ to the title of your listings).

‘Wellbeing Lincs’

'Wellbeing Lincs' offers emotional and practical support, help with accessing health, education, benefits and council services, including housing to all hosts and guests in Lincolnshire.

If you need to have a potentially difficult conversation with your host / guest, the 'Wellbeing Lincs' team may be able help you navigate this. They are trained in providing mediation and can support you in talking things through openly and honestly to reach a solution.

For help, email ukraine.wellbeing@e-lindsey.gov.uk with your name, address, contact information and a brief description of what you need.

The team will aim to be in touch within two working days. They can also be contacted by phone on 01507 613044 from 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday or 10am to 4.30pm on Fridays.

Connect to Support Lincolnshire

Connect to Support is an online information and advice library, community directory and provider marketplace for people in Lincolnshire.

The Advice for Ukrainian Arrivals information pages are regularly updated and aim to guide Ukrainian guests to local services during their stay in Lincolnshire.

The in-built Google Translate function means that the information can easily be translated into both Ukrainian and Russian. You can also view past editions of this e-newsletter on the site.