Dear hosts, volunteer coordinators and parish council colleagues
If this is the first time you are receiving this ‘Support for Ukraine community update’ from us as a host, please note that we send these out on a regular basis. They are issued whenever new and relevant information becomes available to hosts in South Cambridgeshire as well as to District Councillors, community coordinators and parish council colleagues. The idea is to share the latest updates that we have to support for the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
All information previously shared can be found on our Support for Ukraine webpage – where you will also find our ‘Ukrainian Guest information hub’ which we encourage you to share with your guests. The online information hub is our equivalent of a ‘Welcome pack’ for guests (we are sharing information digitally so that we are able to keep our information regularly updated, and guests should be able to switch to view in their own language if they wish).
Please note that in addition to these emails, all hosts will receive information from us relating to DBS checks, accommodation checks, £350 monthly host and £350 one-off guest payments; hosts should already have received information from us about this through our welcome email.
At South Cambridgeshire District Council, we have also taken the decision to make available additional ‘opt-in’ payments of £150 per month on top of the £350 payments. This is in recognition of the extra costs, particularly rising energy bills, currently being experienced by many households and impacting those hosting guests in their home. Please see the section Additional optional £150 host monthly payment on our website (scroll to half way down the page) for more information and how hosts can apply for the payment.
For any questions not covered in this e-newsletter or on our Support for Ukraine webpages, please email duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk
Courses for ESOL learners
Cambridgeshire Skills provides a wide range of courses to help all those living in the county to develop their skills, supporting progression in or into work and education and bringing people together. It is currently offering a number of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Skills for Life courses which may be suitable for guests, as well as a café to meet up and mix with other ESOL learners.
Writing – covering the very basics of accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar, how to communicate information and opinions – Tuesdays PM at Huntingdon Library.
Speaking and Listening – introductory course leading to qualification, covering the basics of listening to detail, expressing clearly and straightforwardly – Monday AM & Thursday AM at Edge: St Benedicts Court, 45 High St, Huntingdon PE29 3PN
Reading – introductory course leading to qualification, covering basic reading and understanding continuous texts, information from everyday sources, using a dictionary - Monday PM & Thursday PM at Edge: St Benedicts Court, 45 High St, Huntingdon PE29 3PN
ESOL Café – Informal Family Learning ESOL; learning English via play and games with learners’ children – Tuesday PM at Coneygear Centre, Huntingdon PE29 1PE & Tuesday PM at Thongsley Fields Nursery and Primary, Buttsgrove Way, Huntingdon, PE29 1PE
Anyone who would like to enrol on one of the courses should call on 01353 613013 or email to Cambsals@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. More information on all of courses run by Cambridgeshire Skills can be found at www.cambsals.co.uk
Winter outdoor fun
There are lots of benefits in continuing to make the most of the big open outdoors during the upcoming winter months. These include fresh air and an escape from indoor germs, continuing physical development and wellbeing, a boost for learning opportunities and social interaction with others.
Cambridgeshire has lots of green open spaces, including many parks where children can play safely and most of which are free to access. Location details, opening hours and other information can be found on an interactive map on the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Parks website.
Interested in sustainable living?
South Cambridgeshire District Council encourages all residents in the district to think about ways in which they could live more sustainably, and this may be something hosts and guests may be interested in.
Our Zero Carbon Communities Green Connect programme has a number of local events arranged in the months ahead which will help inform residents, bring together individuals and communities, and promote the setting up of green initiatives which can help improve and protect the environment we live in.
Both guests and hosts may be interested in the following events:
Gamlingay Eco Hub Tour: 6pm to 7pm October 19 – a tour of their building which benefits from being sustainable, environmentally friendly, economical to run and for use by the whole community. (Spaces are limited – please book ahead).
A Circular Economy in your South Cambs Community: 6pm to 7.30pm November 17 – learn about what the circular economy is, how it helps to reduce waste and contributes to a sustainable future for us all, and what a circular economy could look like in your community.
Sheddit!, building a mobile library of things: 6pm to 7.30pm January 24, 2023
Sheddit! Men’s Shed (which provides community spaces for men to connect) gives a talk on their project to build a mobile library of things to serve Swavesey and the surrounding areas.
Many thanks for reading this latest bulletin, which I hope will be helpful for you and your guests. We are grateful for your continued support for the Homes for Ukraine programme.
Bill
Bill Handley
Lead Cabinet Member for Communities
South Cambridgeshire District Council