A moment to reflect, mourn and stand together in unity - Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz meets members of Newham’s Ukrainian Community
Today, to mark Ukrainian Independence Day - and six months since the start of the devastating war – Newham’s Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz and members of the Cabinet met with members of the boroughs large Ukrainian community.
In an act of friendship and solidarity Mayor Fiaz met with some of Newham’s newly arrived Ukrainian residents and reflected on the borough’s unbreakable ties with the embattled nation.
Rokhsana Fiaz OBE said : “We are proud that Newham is home to one of the largest Ukrainian communities in the UK. Since the outbreak of the horrific war millions have been displaced, forced to leave their homeland by unspeakable acts of aggression and violence.
“Newham has a long history of reaching out the hand of friendship to those forced to flee their homes in the face of tyranny – and once again our residents have embraced those forced into exile.
“As a council we have been doing everything in our power to support those who we are proud to say have made Newham their home.”
Oleksandr, from Kherson in Ukraine came to Britain in March through the Homes for Ukraine visa scheme, after a man living in East Ham offered him a home.
A sailor by trade, Oleksandr has since found work in the UK and says of today’s anniversary; “It is a proud day, we are still fighting for our independence, it’s like Bismark said ‘it’s a big luxury independence, and there is a high price to pay.’ I believe the worst is behind us and now we are on the way to victory. It’s a day of pride and hope.
Oleksandr says; “The people here in Newham and in Britain have been very supportive, friendly and generous, we are not alone.”
Joining Oleksandr and Mayor Fiaz was Olena, she is moved to Newham in May via the Homes for Ukraine scheme, but has since moved into a privately rented room in Plaistow. She has been supported by Newham’s One-Stop-Shop service for refugees.
An accountant in her home town of Ternopil, Olena has been supported to apply for universal credit, while she learns to speak English. On this day the emotions are not far from the surface, her son who’s in his 20’s is fighting back home, and she is plainly extremely worried. However she is grateful for the help she has received in the short time she’s been here; “The people are very supportive and friendly and are willing to do as much as they can, and they do a lot.”
After a moment of reflection at Stratford Town Hall, the group including Mayor Fiaz walked to the nearby Saw Mill Café, where owners Serhiy Sukhy and wife Lana, have seen their business transformed into a an impromptu community hub.
The couple have been busy – collecting and coordinating supplies, and Serhiy has even travelled back to Ukraine to deliver donations and vital aid. They have also supported Ukrainian soldiers who’ve been sent to the UK for rehabilitation
“In the last six months we have felt the generosity and have had big support – something which comes from the heart.”
Since the escalation of Russian hostilities on 24 February 2022 around a third of the population – some 6.7 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee to make new lives abroad.
The Council is currently supporting hundreds of Ukrainian families and individuals who have arrived via the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and Family Visa Scheme - and Newham schools have registered over 170 Ukrainian students from March 2022 to the end of the Summer Term.
New arrivals have been supported to find homes, jobs, education and access the services they need to settle in the borough.
Mayor Fiaz added; “The scale and complexity of this crisis has required a coordinated and speedy local response which we have put in place in Newham with a number of service teams coming in a collaborative approach. For example we have a field team that go out and do welfare checks with our newly arrived residents.”
Newham has created a weekly One-Stop-Shop at Stratford Library on Thursdays 10am-2pm offering support with GP registration, school admissions, access to English lessons, and job seeking assistance. Staff there are also trained to support UK families wishing to offer a home to refugees. To support those newly arrived the Council has recruited Ukrainian speakers to help navigate people through, what are quite often, bureaucratic systems.
As part of the day of celebration the Mayor and Cabinet members Cllr James Asser and Cllr Jane Lofthouse visited The Sawmill Café in Stratford, a Ukrainian owned business which has become a community hub – offering support and a little taste of home.
