Update September 2022
Kippen for Ukraine (K4U) has now been in place for over six months with its core aim being to explore and be proactive in ways to support Ukrainians individually and collectively.
The K4U group has worked both with potential hosts and the council’s resettlement team to match individuals and families within the village and is delighted to report that several Ukrainian families of the same friendship group now reside with us in Kippen. This has been a real success as they are able to continue their friendship while supporting each other as they adjust to their changing situation.
K4U has also created several support groups to assist both hosts and Ukrainians with aspects such as transportation, sourcing material needs, catering, befriending, fundraising and language support. There have been several fundraising initiatives and, with the assistance of the Reading Rooms, a hub for new Ukrainians is being established.
Looking Ahead
Whilst we are delighted with what has been achieved to date, we still have hosts in the area that are waiting to be matched with Ukrainians. There are still many Ukrainians awaiting a match. If you would like to consider registering as a host, this can be done via the Homes for Ukraine website. If you would like to discuss whether this is a possibility for you, please telephone June Waley on 01786 870 454. K4U continues to use its close ties with the council to try to assist with the matching process of families with hosts.
It is now becoming clearer where the needs are and how K4U and the local community can help the Ukrainians to adjust to life in Kippen. In the short term, the group intends to focus its efforts on the following needs:
- Transportation to and from Stirling/car sharing
- Fundraising to assist with material needs, use of the Kippen Reading Rooms hub, social and recreational activities, and events
- Support with language development through lessons and conversational opportunities
- Collection of toiletries for hub hotels where Ukrainians await placement with hosts
Kippen for Ukraine also looks forward to hosting more fundraising opportunities and events that will allow our Ukrainian friends to share their culture with the people of Kippen.
Kippen locals wanting to help and support
If you have not already done so and are interested in helping, please complete the Kippen for Ukraine form which can be found at https://forms.gle/2CmTfeoakbsEAU4u5. It takes one minute.
Please look out for information on our upcoming initiatives and events. Our Facebook page can be found here .
If you have any queries with regards to hosting, supporting Ukrainians or donating to Kippen for Ukraine, please contact kippenforukraine@gmail.com. If you would like to be added to our mailing list for updates and have chosen not to complete the form, email us and we can add you to our mailing list.
The K4U Core Group.
“It takes a village to welcome a refugee.”
Other Information
If you want to do something practical but can’t get involved directly then there are a number of online resources you can access.
We’ll try to keep the following list updated:
- Stirling Council’s dedicated information page
- List of companies that have boycotted Russia (thanks to Amanda for this)
- Donate to Dnipro Kids