Earlier this evening, it was really good to drop into the first Newcastle social event for Ukrainian refugees, organised by Karl Stubbs in King Street Congregational Church. The room was full of Ukrainians here on the visa schemes, their sponsors, and other members of the Ukrainian diaspora who were already living in the area.
Events such as these will really help refugees to settle in the area and build a support network.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council have offered premises for the support hub, and they are having their first formal AGM next week.
The pictures are of me with Karl, and me with his parents-in-law Nikolay & Galena, for whom my office helped secure their visas. They are now being hosted by a family in Madeley.
