Support Ukraine: how you can help
The people of the Diocese of St Albans are standing with Ukraine. Across the country, everyone wants to do their bit to support those who have been forced to flee their homes because of the conflict. This pages sets out how to register offers of support. More extensive information about how to support Ukrainian refugees is available at Ukraine Welcome .
- 5 April 2022: an update on how your support is helping
I want to help by offering:
Financial support
We have established a diocesan fund which can offer immediate financial support to refugees that need it for items such as food and travel. We shall keep a careful eye on disbursements from the fund. Should it turn out to be not, or only a little, needed, any surplus will be sent to the Christian Aid Ukraine Appeal .
To donate to the diocesan fund
- Barclays Bank Account Name: The St Albans Diocesan Board of Finance
- Account Number: 20776041
- Sort Code: 20-05-03
- Reference Code: 2103161
- Payment by BACS is most welcome but we also accept cheques. In either case please include the reference 2103161 as we will need this to identify it. Also consider filling in a Gift Aid declaration to make your donation go further.
I want to Gift Aid my donation
Application for grants
If you need a grant to resource the help you are giving then please send an email to:
supportukraine@stalbans.anglican.org. The email must be sent by the incumbent of the parish. Please include the following information in your application:
- Name of parish
- Amount requested
- Requirement
- Rough calculation as to how the requirement marries up to the request
- Account details to pay in to. It should be a PCC account or equivalent
Accommodation
A number of people have offered to accommodate Ukrainians fleeing the conflict. We want to encourage this. At the same time, we must recognise that hosting strangers fleeing from a war situation is a contribution that is challenging, demanding and costly. It shouldn’t be undertaken lightly or without careful thought. If your parish does have people willing to accommodate those fleeing the war, we therefore ask that the following process be used:
- Form a parish group charged with offering hospitality. This group would include not only those willing to offer accommodation but also those willing to offer a range of other kinds of support – provision of food, assistance with mental health care etc. Acting with the best standards of safeguarding accountability that we have all come to expect is going to be important too and guidance will be offered on how this is to be approached. Keep it in mind that if ‘it takes a whole village to raise a child’, ‘it takes a whole church to care for a refugee family’.
- Have your incumbent register your offer of support on the diocesan database. This will be done through the button below, that will ask for various information – incumbent details, host details, support group details, parish safeguarding contact, host reference, accommodation offered, duration of accommodation, transport provision etc. Register accommodation
- Referral from agency receiving those fleeing the war. Arrivals from Ukraine who cannot go to friends or family will be referred to appropriate hosts registered on our database by appropriate agencies for accommodation and support (e.g. Luton Airport Chaplaincy and local authorities in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.
- Receive support from the wider community. Provision is being put in place to offer through the wider community support for people from Ukraine staying with hosts. This will involve access to mental health care, access to NHS health care, weekly touch base with a local Ukrainian speaker etc.
See also: Guidance for clergy in DBF or parsonage housing.
Safeguarding
Refugees fleeing their country are vulnerable people. As such, it is important that people offering accommodation or wider support should be familiar with the safeguarding guidance notes written specifically with Ukrainian refugees in mind.
Offers of supportive services
Accommodation will not be the only help needed. Other services of support will be required too such as mental health support, translation, transport etc.
Register your offer of support
Read an update from Bishop Michael about how the diocese is supporting Ukranian Refugees.
Related information
- Safeguarding guidance notes
- Guidance for people in clergy housing
- Ukraine Welcome guidance and information
