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#71

Getting ready for your guests >> Готуємося до ваших гостей / Help with the Ukrainian langua...

Last post by lisae - Apr 03, 2022, 07:21 AM

This site covers just about everything you would need to learn Ukrainian, its alphabet and pronunciation.
http://mylanguages.org/ukrainian_alphabet.php

#72

Travelling to the UK and meeting your sponsor >> Подорож до Великобританії та зустріч зі своїм спонсором / Re: Free travel and transport ...

Last post by grahame - Apr 03, 2022, 07:10 AM

It really must be up to each individual group as to how the travel and how the host meets them.

For those with any sort of awkward or heavy luggage or animals, travelling by train all the way may be much more practical than flying, though it takes longer.

Personally, I think I would be inclined to meet and greet at St Pancras International, an airport, or off a ferry and (yes) my guests would have free onward travel within the UK but I would have to pay. Towards the end of a long journey, crossing London ... a friendly new face will, surely, be more than welcome.

#73

Travelling to the UK and meeting your sponsor >> Подорож до Великобританії та зустріч зі своїм спонсором / Re: Free travel and transport ...

Last post by grahame - Apr 03, 2022, 06:52 AM

Eurostar offers free travel too:

https://www.railway-technology.com/news/industry-news/eurostar-offers-free-travel-to-ukraine-nationals/

#74

Travelling to the UK and meeting your sponsor >> Подорож до Великобританії та зустріч зі своїм спонсором / Re: Free travel and transport ...

Last post by grahame - Apr 03, 2022, 06:39 AM

From National Rail https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ukr-travel.aspx

To help Ukrainian nationals travelling to the United Kingdom, most public transport operators, including National Rail, are offering free onward travel to get you to a safe place.  The offer is valid across all National Rail train operators, light rail services and the majority of bus and coach services in England, Scotland, and Wales, and you will have 48 hours from arrival in the UK to complete your journey.
You will also be able to travel free across London using London Underground, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and London bus and tram services so you can reach your destination as quickly as possible.
 
To make use of this scheme, you will need to show your Ukrainian passport and a boarding pass or ticket showing your arrival into the UK.

Щоб допомогти українцям, які прибувають до Сполученого Королівства, більшість транспортних операторів, включаючи Національну залізницю, пропонують безкоштовний доїзд до вашого місця безпеки. Ця пропозиція дійсна для всіх операторів Національної залізниці, легких залізниць та більшості міських та міжміських автобусів в Англії, Шотландії та Уельсі, і у вас буде 48 годин з часу прибуття в Сполучене Королівство, щоб завершити свою подорож.
Ви також зможете безкоштовно подорожувати через Лондон на лондонському метрополітені, легкій залізниці Доклендс (DLR) та лондонських автобусах і трамваях, щоб ви могли дістатися до вашого місця призначення якомога скоріше.
Щоб скористатися з цієї програми, вам буде потрібно пред'явити свій український паспорт, а також посадковий талон або квиток, який показує ваше прибуття до Сполученого Королівства.
Скористайтеся планувальником подорожі нижче, щоб спланувати свою поїздку.

#75

Travelling to the UK and meeting your sponsor >> Подорож до Великобританії та зустріч зі своїм спонсором / Re: Free travel and transport ...

Last post by grahame - Apr 03, 2022, 06:21 AM

I understand that Transport for Wales are also offering free travel.

Subject to checking, it looks to me as if people 'fleeing Ukraine" across Europe through Poland, Germany and France can travel as far as the English Channel for free by train.   No details at present on Eurostar, ferries across the channel, or onward travel in Great Britain.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport_in_Germany#/media/File:Baureihe_406_ICE3M_(9330753358)_(2).jpg - trains like this can help get you across Europe

#76

Travelling to the UK and meeting your sponsor >> Подорож до Великобританії та зустріч зі своїм спонсором / Free travel and transport for ...

Last post by grahame - Apr 03, 2022, 06:16 AM

From https://www.ukraina.space/en/transport

Austria   People fleeing from Ukraine can use all Wienen Linien local public transport and OeBB trains free of charge.

Belgium   People fleeing from Ukraine can use SNCB/NMBS trains free of charge.

Bulgaria   People fleeing from Ukraine can use BDZ trains free of charge.

Croatia   People fleeing from Ukraine can use HŽ Putnički prijevoz trains free of charge with 'solidarity tickets' and with a "Help Ukraine Ticket".

Czechia   People fleeing from Ukraine can use RegioJet, Leo Express, České dráhy trains and Arriva transport free of charge. They can also use Prague public transport and public transport in the Central Bohemian Region.

Denmark   People fleeing from Ukraine can use DSB trains free of charge.  Ukrainian cars can pass Öresundsbron (Denmark-Sweden bridge) without being charged.

Estonia   People fleeing from Ukraine can use Elron trains and Public Transport trains free of charge.

Finland   People fleeing from Ukraine can use Onnibus transports and VR trains free of charge.  They can also benefit from a 95% discount on net fares for one-way Finnair tickets from Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Budapest and Prague to Helsinki.

France   People fleeing from Ukraine can use SNCF and Thalys trains free of charge.

Germany   People fleeing from Ukraine can use DB trains (https://www.bahn.de/info/helpukraine), ODEG trains and all regional and local public transport free of charge.

Ireland   People fleeing from Ukraine can use free of charge: Irish rail trains, Bus Éireann transportation and Expressway transportation.

Italy   People fleeing from Ukraine can use Flixbus transportation and Marino Bus transportation free of charge. They can also travel free of chargewith Trenitalia group transport within a maximum of 5 days from entering Italy.

Hungary   People fleeing from Ukraine can use all MAV trains with a free "solidarity ticket".  Wizz Air supports Ukrainian refugees by offering them 100,000 free seats on all continental Europe flights departing from Ukraine's border countries.

Latvia   People fleeing from Ukraine can use Latvijas dzelzceļš trains free of charge.

Lithuania   People fleeing from Ukraine can use LTG trains and Vilnius buses free of charge.

Luxembourg   People fleeing from Ukraine can use all all public transport free of charge.

Netherlands   People fleeing from Ukraine can use NS trains free of charge.

Poland   People fleeing from Ukraine can use free of charge: PKP trains Polferries.  Flixbus transportation inside Poland and from Polish border cities to elsewhere in Europe They can also benefit from discounted tariffs with LOT Airlines.  Wizz Air offers Ukrainian refugees 100,000 free seats on all continental Europe flights departing from Ukraine's border countries.  Uber also offers unlimited free trips between the Ukrainian border and Polish cities.

Portugal   People fleeing from Ukraine can use CP – Trains of Portugal free of charge.

Romania   People fleeing from Ukraine can use CFR trains free of charge with a "Help Ukraine Ticket", and STB shuttle bus.  They can also use Romfour shuttle bus from station to station free of charge. Romfour organises bus transport to Italy and other European cities.  Wizz Air offers Ukrainian refugees 100,000 free seats on all continental Europe flights departing from Ukraine's border countries.  They can also benefit from free Flixbus transportation from Romanian border cities to elsewhere in Europe.

Slovakia   People fleeing from Ukraine can use ZSSK trains free of charge.  Wizz Air offers Ukrainian refugees 100,000 free seats on all continental Europe flights departing from Ukraine's border countries.

Slovenia   People fleeing from Ukraine can use Slovenske železnice trains free of charge.

Spain   People fleeing from Ukraine can use Renfe trains free of charge.

Sweden   People fleeing from Ukraine can use Stena Line transport free of charge.

#77

Sponsor looking for Ukrainian >> Спонсор шукає українця / Re: So where in Ukraine are th...

Last post by grahame - Apr 03, 2022, 06:13 AM

See also a map of the economic areas of Ukraine at https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-of-economic-areas-of-Ukraine-according-to-the-location-of-regional-research-centres_fig2_347795967

#78

Sponsor looking for Ukrainian >> Спонсор шукає українця / So where in Ukraine are they f...

Last post by grahame - Apr 03, 2022, 06:02 AM

Sharing from https://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/ukraine/political.html to help readers find where in Ukraine people are from:

Ukraine is the largest country, located at the eastern part of the continent. The country is divided administratively into twenty-four oblasts, an autonomous republic (Crimea) and two special cities (Kiev and Sevastopol).



The 24 oblasts are (in alphabetical order): Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, Kiev, Kirovohrad, Luhansk, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Odessa, Poltava, Rivne, Sumy, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Volyn, Zakarpattia, Zaporizhia, Zhytomyr

The largest cities (as shown on the map) orderted by population are: Kyiv (capital), Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Lviv, Kryvyi Rih, Mykolaiv, Mariupol, Luhansk, Makiivka, Vinnytsia, Simferopol, Sevastopol, Kherson, Poltava, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Sumy, Horlivka, Zhytomyr, Dniprodzerzhynsk, Kirovohrad, Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, Chernivtsi, Kremenchuk, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lutsk, Bila Tserkva, Kramatorsk, Melitopol, Kerch, Uzhhorod, Lysychansk, Konotop

[Government-funded scheme links sponsors with refugees, but some groups fear misuse by traffickers]

#79

The paperwork and Visa process >> Оформлення документів та оформлення візи / Matching process - Government ...

Last post by grahame - Apr 02, 2022, 03:36 PM

From The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/01/uk-homes-for-ukraine-scheme-launches-amid-safeguarding-fears

Government-funded scheme links sponsors with refugees, but some groups fear misuse by traffickers

The first UK government-funded scheme linking sponsors with Ukrainian refugees has been launched amid warnings that initiatives aimed at helping people to secure sanctuary in Britain risk becoming "Tinder for sex traffickers".

The charity Reset Communities and Refugees, which has led UK community sponsorship schemes since 2018, has launched a service to pair sponsors with refugees, provide training and assist with safeguarding.

It comes two weeks after the government's Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme opened for visa applications from refugees with a named sponsor. About 4,700 visas had been granted and 32,200 applications had been made under the scheme as of Thursday, according to Home Office figures.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has been working to expand the scheme to those without a match and has given £300,000 in initial funding to Reset, which has developed a pilot service that matches refugees with sponsors.

It hopes to expand the service more widely after more than 7,000 refugees were initially registered on its website, along with 8,000 UK households, offering places for more than 20,000 refugees.

The matching service, which draws on the expertise of a 40-strong team of caseworkers, is being offered to sponsors, refugees, devolved governments, local authorities and organisations that do not have other means of pairing refugees and sponsors.

The aim of the scheme is also to help local authorities and other groups assist refugees with challenges including language barriers, education, health needs, bereavement and work.

Kate Brown, the chief executive of Reset Communities and Refugees, said: "This is an extraordinary moment for the refugee welcome movement in the UK. With 200,000 people signed up to offer their homes under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and hundreds of thousands more offering support, we are in a position to help more refugees than ever before.

"We must make sure that there are fair and rigorous systems in place to support the refugees and sponsors as they embark on this programme."

The matching team will also be carrying out assessments of the refugees to understand personal circumstances, including if they have ties to a place or particular preferences.

Once the match has been made, the sponsors and refugees will be required to submit a visa application to the Home Office which, along with local authorities, will be responsible for the formal vetting process, including DBS checks.

The launch of the scheme comes against a backdrop of evidence that UK-based criminals have been targeting women and children fleeing the war.

A letter from 16 refugee and anti-trafficking organisations to the communities secretary, Michael Gove, last week said that the Homes for Ukraine scheme was potentially dangerous for refugees who had fled Ukraine. It said the initiative, which allows would-be hosts to be matched with Ukrainians seeking sanctuary in the UK, in effect mimicked the dating app Tinder's signature "swipe left, swipe right" approach to rejecting or selecting a partner, and had insufficient safeguards.

Initial evidence from the letter's signatories, which include Refugee Action, the Refugee Council and the Helen Bamber Foundation, said traffickers had already appeared to have made attempts to target Ukrainian women and children, as had slum landlords.

Last weekend Louise Calvey, the head of safeguarding at the charity Refugee Action, said that "issues with the scheme means that it risks being a Tinder for sex traffickers". "We are already aware of people with illegal motives who are advertising on social media," she said.

Labour welcomed the scheme, but said more needs to be done to help refugees in urgent need. Lisa Nandy, the shadow levelling up secretary, said: "It is a relief that the government has belatedly realised a DIY scheme where desperate people have to advertise themselves on social media is not good enough.

"Precious time has already been wasted. More needs to be done to help refugees in urgent need, including cutting unnecessary bureaucracy. The government cannot go on wasting the amazing generosity of people who have stepped up and offered to open their homes."

The DLUHC said: "No visa is issued by the Home Office until checks have been completed on the Ukrainian applicant as well as on every adult in a sponsor's household. Local authorities will then run DBS checks on sponsors, with enhanced DBS with barred-list checks for those housing families with children or vulnerable adults.

"Under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, Ukrainians will be guaranteed free access to NHS healthcare, including mental health care. They will also be able to work and receive benefits. The government has also ensured that local authorities have appropriate levels of funding to support new arrivals."

#80

Ukrainian looking for sponsor >> Українець шукає спонсора / Re: Временное убежище из за во...

Last post by grahame - Mar 31, 2022, 11:13 AM

Hello, and welcome to the forum.

Hello
I live in Ukraine in the city of Dnipro. Unfortunately, we were often bombed, tonight there were also attacks on the city. I am asking for help, to leave temporarily for your beautiful country. Please help us with departure, and housing and work.

I am 49 years old, I am a nurse or more precisely an X-ray technician, my daughter-in-law is 30 years old, a family doctor, has 2 children, a 5-year-old son, a 3-year-old daughter, they also need a kindergarten to work. We are a friendly family. We need temporary help. Thank you.

I am forwarding your enquiry to Stuart who is co-ordinating today.