As Tavistock continues to help the Ukrainian appeal following the Russian invasion, residents, groups, institutions, clubs and organisations came together at a community meeting held at Tavistock Methodist Church last week to create a coordinated and synergistic approach to streamline the provision of aid for Ukrainian refugees.

A primary focus of this meeting was providing shelter and accommodation to Ukrainian refugees. Tavistock Mayor Andy Hutton has set a shining example for the town and led by example in agreeing to welcome refugees into his home. He said: ‘We have agreed to sponsor a family from Kiev: a mother with two girls aged six and ten and also a grandma. It took about three hours to fill all the forms in. They were helped by another lady who is coming with her 15-year-old child and speaks English.

‘We both look forward to them coming and I’m sure Tavistock will help us welcome them. I am really impressed with the way the community has come together on this and have done it so quickly. That’s why Tavistock is a wonderful place.’

At the meeting, hosted by Tavistock Area Christians Together (TACT) and Tavistock Quakers, attendees were given a form to fill in with details of how they could help, particularly in regards to the specifications of providing accommodation and details of their house/property.

Tavistock Quakers and TACT are working together to spearhead this aid initiative. Both are offering to invite their congregations to offer a room or two or annex to recieve part of an extended family from Ukraine with the other members of that family housed close by in the same neighbourhood or village.

Neil Jameson, spokesman for the Quakers who lives in Walkhampton, said already six neighbours have offered beds and accommodation for eight people in the village, five families from the Methodist Church have offered beds/rooms and that the Quakers have offered six beds in two properties nearby to each other.

Mr Jameson said: ‘We are keen to make extended families especially welcome and appeal to Devon’s villages and hamlets to consider the same strategy of offering beds and hospitality to whole families who may be dotted around the village but still close to their loved ones. The people fleeing the Ukraine are not just refugees, they’re nuclear and extended families, particularly elderly people, women and children.’

The main guidance issued by TACT and the Quakers at the meeting stated that those who were able to provide help or accomodation could do so in the following ways:

Those from an institution (church, college or club etc) should be sure to keep their minister or representative informed of issue and progress.

By completing an initial local registration form avaiable from the Quakers who can be found at 4 Canal Road, Tavistock PL19 8AR.

Join and participate with the Facebook group ‘Tavistock and Ukrainian Friends’ (launched by local residents Julia Law and Michelle Davis).

Register your interest on ‘Homes for Ukrainians’ government website at https://www.gov.uk/register-interest-homes-ukraine

Register with the Reset communities and refugee programme at https://www.homesforukraine.org.uk

Schools or colleges should prepare to welcome students who speak little to or no English.

Those in a village, hamlet or neighbourhood can persuade or encourage neighbours and friends to consider welcoming an extended family.

Two Tavistock-based mothers, Anna Vakhnenko and Tania Kovalchuk, who are originally from the Ukraine and have children at Mount Kelly School put themselves forward to offer their translation assistance to anyone who wishes to or will be housing a refugee or refugees.

Anna can be contacted at [email protected] and Tania can be contacted on [email protected].

County Cllr for Tavistock Debo Sellis said at the meeting: ‘Tavistock is doing what it does best and that is pulling together.’

Tavistock Quakers were also in the pannier market on Saturday from 10am to 4pm to educate local residents who are interested in helping about what can be done locally in Tavistock and the surrounding communities.