13 Jan Essex say ‘Thank You’ to Ukraine Volunteers
Dozens of volunteers from Essex, who welcomed refugees from Ukraine at Stansted Airport, are thanked by people from across Essex, the County Council and the Ukrainian Chargé d’affaires and interim Ambassador Eduard Fesko at a special event.
Essex County Council held a special ‘thank you’ event at Foakes Hall, Great Dunmow, to thank volunteers from Uttlesford Community Action Network (UCAN) and other partners from across the community and public sectors for their work to help refugees from Ukraine. Also attending the event to offer his gratitude was guest of honour Eduard Fesko, the Chargé d’affaires and interim Ambassador to the United Kingdom for Ukraine.
The UCAN volunteers and community and voluntary sector partners were at the centre of the Essex response to the Ukrainian guests fleeing the war. The volunteers staffed the Welcome Desk at Stansted Airport arrivals and helped to direct the Ukrainian guests to services provided by Uttlesford District Council and Essex County Council, as well as the NHS and transport.
Clive Emmett, Chief Executive Officer at UCAN said: “I am very proud of the UCAN volunteers and the welcome they provided at Stansted Airport. It was very stressful for the Ukrainian refugees. They had fled a war zone and had left loved ones and their possessions behind. The UCAN volunteers made their entry into the UK less tense, directing them to the services and help they needed.”
The ‘Thank You’ event was held at Great Dunmow’s Foakes Hall on Thursday 11 January and was attended by over 70 volunteers. Clive Emmett (Chief Executive Officer, UCAN), Cllr Petrina Lees (Leader, Uttlesford District Council), Cllr Kevin Bentley (Leader of Essex County Council) were also in attendance.
During the event the volunteers were officially thanked for their support and were treated to a buffet lunch. The group also shared personal experiences.
Cllr Kevin Bentley, Leader, Essex County Council added: “I am exceptionally proud how the people of Essex, came together to offer help to people in a crisis. I thank those people for their selfless work, the time and love they put into supporting strangers in need. Coming to a foreign country in normal circumstances can be stressful, but for the Ukrainians the stress was multiplied by the uncertainty of what would happen to their loved ones back home.”
Cllr Petrina Lees, Leader, Uttlesford District Council stated: “The help and direction given by UCAN and our officers at Uttlesford District Council helped the transition of refugees into housing, employment, childcare and training. The people from Ukraine were in a very difficult situation, I’m pleased we gave them the help they needed.”
