This week on Friday 24 February, South Kesteven will stand in solidarity with Ukraine on the first anniversary of the Russian invasion.

Since March last year, 335 Ukrainians have made the District their temporary home under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. The Lincolnshire Resettlement Partnership, comprising of Lincolnshire councils and a range of public sector agencies and charitable sector organisations all working together, has been supporting local communities to offer people from Ukraine the warmest possible welcome to the county.

Nationally, more than 100,000 Ukrainians have arrived in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme since the outbreak of the war and since the launch of the scheme in March 2022, more householders in South Kesteven have opened their homes to families from the war-torn country than any other district in Lincolnshire.

Cllr Annie Mason, Cabinet Member for People and Safer Communities, said: "One year on and sadly the devastation continues for the people of Ukraine.

"Alongside local authorities across Lincolnshire, South Kesteven District Council stands with Ukraine and its people and will continue to offer support wherever possible. It has been heartening to also see such a unwavering response from communities across our District."

People arriving under the scheme are able to live and work in the UK for up to three years, and access healthcare, public funds, employment and other support. A year on, there are still 350 hosts providing a home to their Ukrainian guests across Lincolnshire. Throughout the county over 70 family groups have successfully made the move from their hosting arrangements into private rental accommodation, and a small number of guests have moved on to other parts of the UK.

Hosts on the scheme initially signed up for six months and whilst many hosting relationships will continue to a year and beyond, Councillor Robert Reid, Cabinet Member for Housing and Property highlighted the appeal for new hosts to come forward who may be a suitable match for Ukrainians already settled in the county.

"Over the past year, residents across South Kesteven have offered a warm welcome to those fleeing Ukraine," he said.

"We recognise that circumstances change for both hosts and guests and would like to urge anyone who is able to offer temporary accommodation for evacuees to please contact Lincolnshire County Council's Homes for Ukraine team who are overseeing the process."

Anyone can consider hosting as long as they can offer accommodation for at least six months, and those who are successfully matched to Ukrainian guests are offered a £350 per month 'thank you' payment, rising to £500 a month for guests who have been in the country for over a year.

Ukrainians already established in Lincolnshire and requiring new hosts will already be living and settled within their local communities and may be in work, with children in school, minimising some of the challenges many new hosts on the scheme initially faced when supporting guests with connecting to services in the UK such as applying for biometric residence permits, accessing local and public services and opening bank accounts.

Simone Woods and her family, from Billingborough, are currently hosting Mariia from Odesa.

Speaking about what made them want to get involved in the scheme, Simone said: "It was hard to watch the news and see ordinary people, with their children, living in fear and being forced to leave their homes. The one thing Mariia said to me before she arrived was that she just needed to go somewhere she can sort her life out. Which she is starting to do."

Stamford Churches and Stamford Diversity Group CIC will be hosting a service to mark this anniversary on Friday from 6:30pm. Find out more here.

South Kesteven District Council will be flying the Ukraine flag outside SK House, St Peter's Hill, on Friday. More information about SKDC's ongoing support for Ukraine is available online.

If you think you could commit to hosting, click here to find out more and complete Lincolnshire County Council's hosting expression of interest form.