Dear Ukrainian Guests
We are delighted to welcome you to our region and want you to be safe and happy while you are with us. In our newsletter we will give you information that we hope will help you to do that – we’ll tell you about opportunities and events in our communities and across Scotland that you are welcome to join; health, employment, money and transport; and also where you can get more information and support.
If you have any questions or want more information at any time, please look at our website www.dumgal.gov.uk/supportukraine – there is a translation facility called ‘recite me – and/or you can email us on resettlementproject@dumgal.gov.uk at any time.
If you know of another Ukrainian guest in the region who is not receiving this newsletter, please ask them to email Resettlementproject@dumgal.gov.uk and they can be added to receive future editions.
Information Round Up
Scottish Refugee Council
Scottish Government Survey
Please help us share this Scottish Government survey to get feedback on Ukrainian peoples’ experiences and how to improve them: Зголосіться допомогти нам зрозуміти Ваш досвід життя в Шотландії. (office.com)
Book Launch “Scotland’s Ukrainians Their Story”
Local Dumfries resident Peter Kormylo, who a number of guests may already know through his support for Ukrainian Resettlement – has recently published a book – ‘Scotland’s Ukrainians ‘Their Story’.
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Our Festival Stories
Thank you to all the Ukrainian Guests who came along to the Scottish Inter Faith Week event on Sunday 13 November 2022 in the DGMA building. We heard about how different faiths – Baha’i, Judaism, Islam and Christianity (Protestant and Catholic) – celebrate their important dates; and enjoyed music and food. A special thanks to the Levantine for the catering, Maria for the delicious Ukrainian cakes, and others who brought dumplings!
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Forthcoming Events
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Ukrainian Theatre Gala Dinner – Borsch Theatre Celebrity Chef IEVGEN KLOPOTENKO can be found at the event that aims to change the global perception of Ukranian food. 25 November 2022, Easterbrook Hall, Crichton, Dumfries. Tickets cost £85 and includes 6 course gourmet gala dinner, Ceilidh & performances
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DGMA Winter Fest Market – Sunday 27 November 2022 (timing to be confirmed) – tables can be booked for only £10 to sell crafts and/or just go along for various activities and entertainment
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Ukrainian Christmas – there will be a special event in the DGMA building in Dumfries on 7 January 2023 – more details will be in the next Newsletter
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Remembering Together – there’s a local cultural project taking place to collect people’s experiences of the COVID Pandemic. The artists were at the Interfaith event and are really keen to hear more from Ukrainian Guests about what the COVID pandemic was like for you. The artists will be available at the end of some ESOL classes, and you can contact them direct if you would like to: Co-creating Covid Community Memorials
Health
The NHS provides health services to people living in the UK, and most of these services are free. Ukrainian guests will be granted free access to NHS healthcare on a similar basis as other UK residents – including for instance, the offer of vaccination and medical screenings.
Travel
There is free transport for older and younger people and also you can get reduced rail travel (railway stations in Stranraer, Dumfries, Lockerbie, Annan, Sanquhar and Kirkconnel). Details are below:
In addition, we are giving all our Guests the cash equivalent of a four-week bus ticket – please send your name and address and phone number to us on Resettlementproject@dumgal.gov.uk and we will arrange for the money to be paid to you.
Ukrainian groups and facilities in Scotland
You may already know that there is a Ukrainian Consulate, a Ukrainian Church and a Ukrainian Centre in Edinburgh – information can be found here:
If anyone would be interested in going a free and escorted visit to the Ukraine Consulate, Church and Association in Edinburgh and/or the Ukrainian Chapel in our region (near Lockerbie), please let us know by contacting us on resettlementproject@dumgal.gov.uk and we can help organise it.
Education
Employment
There is a number of different sources of financial and practical assistance to you, to help people who are not yet in work, or to add to your wages to help meet your costs. Your appointment with the Department of Work and Pensions will be the starting point.
Here are two additional sources of cash funding to help you for a temporary period:
While you are receiving Benefits, you can access free or reduced prices for entertainment – like films and leisure and sport facilities. There are also some free services – information is here:
Ukrainian groups and facilities in Scotland
You might like to join some social media accounts that provide information and support to Ukrainians in Scotland
Support for Ukrainian Guests in Dumfries and Galloway
MOOL - a local charity which supports displaced people and in D&G, especially people in our Resettlement Schemes from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine
Dumfries and Galloway Multi-Cultural Association (DGMA) - a local charity which supports people from ethnic, religious and cultural minorities.
DGIFG – a local network which brings people together from different faith traditions and none, affiliated to Interfaith Scotland, a Scottish charity specialising in promoting engagement between different faith and belief communities across Scotland.
The Crichton Trust - responsible for developing The Crichton as a place of educational, commercial, recreational, cultural and artistic excellence. Located in Dumfries and situated within 85 acres of parkland, the grounds are free and open to the public all year round.
The Crichton has had funding from the Resettlement Project to open a Ukrainian Café, attached to the Easterbrook Hall (formerly Neuros). It has some Ukrainian dishes on the menu and we would encourage you to visit to build it as a place to network with others in a similar situation.
We want to hear from you!
Reflections on being a Guest in Dumfries and Galloway – we would really like to hear from you about what you are enjoying and like most about our region. What is going well for you, and also what the challenges are and how can we help you. All views will remain anonymous and you can write to us in any language – we can get it translated. We will share your stories in a future Newsletter. Please send your views to Resettlementproject@dumgal.gov.uk
If there is any information you think may be useful, but is missing from our Support for Ukraine pages, please let us know at: Resettlementproject@dumgal.gov.uk
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