Lewes District Council Ukraine Relief Fund – Latest Update

In June 2022, 3VA was delighted to be asked to disburse £30,000 (in onward grants of up to £3,000) by Lewes District Council to support activities that benefitted Ukrainian ‘guests’ and hosts across Lewes District.

We have now completed that process and we would like to share with you a summary report that explains how the grants were used and highlights the main outcomes of this collaboration between 3VA and LDC.

Lewes District Council Ukraine Relief Fund Grant summary report, June 2022 – June 2024

• Background

The Lewes Ukraine Relief grant funding was provided to 3VA by Lewes District Council in May 2022 in response to the war in Ukraine, to support initiatives from local groups and organisations providing support and activities for Ukrainians hosted in the District. 3VA distributed the grants to address the needs of Ukrainians with funding activities for well-being, socialising, access to welfare and advice services, transport, education, English language, access to food banks and donations, administrative needs, and employability.

Collaborating with statutory and voluntary partners, local support networks communities, groups and organisations in Lewes, the funding provided by the Lewes Ukraine Relief grants permitted many Lewes-based Ukrainians to settle in their new areas, integrate into their local communities and to gain new skills.

Summary

This report shows the distribution of the Lewes Ukraine relief fund grants by 3VA to local groups and organisations in Lewes district, the outcomes drawn from the reports received from the funded projects, and the overall summary of needs that were met by the partnership between Lewes District Council, 3VA and local communities.

Local volunteer-led groups, communities and project organisers set up activities in response to the needs of newly arrived Ukrainians by listening to what was needed from both Ukrainian guests and their hosts. Colleagues set up projects, extended their services and tailored their activities accordingly, then expanded these by using Lewes District Ukraine Relief grants. As 3VA is embedded in local communities in East Sussex and also works with statutory Ukraine support teams, the team was able to support local groups and organisers with setting up their activities and liaising with local Ukrainians, as well as to inform on their evolving needs.

The partnership and collaborative work local communities and organisers built with Ukrainians meant that the funded activities that were put in place permitted further support to Ukrainians seeking to settle in the area. As a result of taking part in grant-funded activities and in benefitting from the collaboration between 3VA and local groups, many Lewes-based Ukrainians progressed in their lives in the UK, took part in leading activities for their peers, and built new communities.

• What have we learned?
  • Attendance at hubs declined as guests started working or attending school and The activities Ukrainians request now are to gain independence, education, employability, and English language courses.
  • HfU Community Hub volunteers are mostly retired and have less capacity and interest in applying for grants to build further projects or expand their services, so the more established local organisations increasingly applied for grants.
  • Ukrainians are keen on building projects with organisations, in leading activities, and sharing skills and knowledge; the collaboration of Ukrainians and local organisers with projects has been very successful and productive.
  • The 3VA HfU team support is needed and appreciated by organisers to apply for grants, support with building projects, resolve issues and challenges during projects, network and share news of activities, connect with local Ukrainians.
  • The 3VA HfU team’s frontline contact with Ukrainians, hosts, hubs, organisers and communities means that organisers are provided with up-to-date information on needs regarding activities and support and identify where there is potential for projects being built by local organisers.
  • The frontline contact with Ukrainian beneficiaries, local communities, and partners leads to the effective and creative promotion of small grants.
  • Grant applicants required regular communication from the team on the progress of their applications and payments and appreciated support with managing and planning their

• Outcomes
  • Egg Learn English courses expanded their services to accommodate more students thanks to the grants, and all students attained English Cambridge Certificate qualifications
  • The Sunflower Project was built by a volunteer from Lewes for Ukraine and a group of local Ukrainians, and their very successful project expanded; events and an exhibition will be taking place, a wider number of Ukrainians have joined their activities, and the Sunflower team has connected with many organisers and groups over East Sussex.
  • Community Chef have expanded their courses and built ideas based on the demand from Ukrainian students. They will also teach Ukrainian students to start a catering business; some students have gained employment in the catering industry since taking the course.

• Summary of funded projects
  • Seahaven Food Store, Seaford for Ukraine, Seaford 2022 – 23 Total families supported: 10, Total food parcels delivered: 100

Weekly support for 10 Ukrainian families with deliveries of food parcels to their homes as well as toiletries. When visiting the food store, Ukrainians could benefit from the store as a Warm Space, receive a hot meal and also access advice and support from CAB and were visited by the Fire Prevention tea. The store then also acted as a social hub, tackling some issues of isolation, and facilitating social interactions and community building between Ukrainians and local people.

Chris, Lead volunteer of Seahaven Food Store: ‘On behalf of our clients thank you for the support’

• Community Chef CIC cookery courses, Lewes 2022 – 24 Total participants: 26, Workshops: 10

A social enterprise based in Lewes that uses food and cookery to improve people’s health and well-being. The project proves that food is a fantastic connector between people, promoting communication through its creativity and enjoyment. Cooking together in a safe space can allow students with trauma, anxiety, and loss to feel supported and share joy, celebration, and hope. Community Chef has delivered an impressive number of courses that have been greatly appreciated by Ukrainians who developed skills, knowledge and employability in catering, connections with local communities and also improved their English language.

Helga shares: “I have learned so many new dishes which are helping me at my job at the 5 Bells. I meet so many new people at the community kitchen. It is my favourite place. Thank you for the things you are doing for the Ukrainian communit “

• Egg Learn English courses at Hillcrest Centre, Newhaven, and Lewes Library, 2022-24 Total participants: 31, Total teaching hours: 590

Egg Learn, is currently the only provider in the area offering Cambridge English Language qualifications courses for refugee diasporas in East Sussex. These qualifications are essential in proving language ability to employers, high education establishments, or the Home Office. Egg Learn tailors the courses according to the student’s topics of interest so has also helped many students with employability, cultural adaptation, and community building. Egg Learn sparked a lot of interest so has now created more courses in Lewes, Eastbourne, and Wealden.

Sam shares about a student: “T.P was one of the first to access the group on Oct 22. She has since achieved her A2 & B1 exams and is on course for success in her B2 exam in March (2024). It has also acted as a hub for her to meet other local Ukrainians, many of whom she now sees socially every week.”

• Sunflower Project, Lewes4Ukraine, Lewes and Newhaven 2023-24 Total participants: 26, Total activities: 30

L4U was formed in March 2022, supporting Ukrainian refugees and sponsors in the Lewes area. Starting in November 2023, Lewes4Ukraine built a project called The Sunflower project with Lewes-based Ukrainians as a team who also taught and led Visual Art classes, one Choir group, and performances and traditional Ukrainian dance classes for fellow Ukrainians and their children in Lewes district. This project has expanded and will be continuing through to 2025, planning an exhibition of the art created in the classes as well as a choir performance for Xmas, and involving local volunteers from many locations of the district including Ringmer and Newick.

Helen Chiasson, Lewes for Ukraine: ‘We see these three projects as ‘pump priming’ events where our local Ukrainians are encouraged to use and develop their leadership, artistic, and creative skills and showcase these to the general public. It’s also felt that through involving our Ukrainians in the project creation process, it will give them the confidence to determine and lead their own projects.’