Help for Ukraine can continue for now

A Herefordshire group dedicated to helping Ukrainians locally and in the war-torn country has been told it will not be made homeless.

Hereford Help for Ukraine (HHFU) was given free use of two warehouses on Hereford’s Three Elms trading estate following the country’s invasion by Russian forces last spring.

But its owner Herefordshire Council said in November that the group could no longer use the units to collect, sort and despatch humanitarian aid.

It said at the time it expected the group to vacate the premises around the end of January, but that it would be “flexible” about this.

Cabinet member for assets Coun Gemma Davies told councillors she was “committed to supporting the group find suitable premises”.

Last week Conservative councillor Nigel Shaw asked Coun Davies in a written question whether this had yet been resolved, “ and, if not, how she intends to resolve it”.

Coun Davies replied that council officers “have been working with AUGB (the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain) to develop a longer-term plan for the delivery of much-needed aid to Ukrainians both here and abroad”.

“Proposals are progressing well and a plan is being developed for a commercial unit to be made available for the group,” she said, adding: “Whilst there is no specific timeframe for this, the council remains committed to working with AUGB in Herefordshire.”

During the meeting Coun Shaw then sought to “press the cabinet member to give an undertaking that a unit will be identified before the group have to vacate their existing unit”.

In Coun Davies’ absence, cabinet member for health and adult wellbeing Coun Pauline Crockett said: “We have had ongoing positive discussions with the group and really support what they are doing. The have not and will not be evicted.”

HHFU founder Olga Tverdokhlib confirmed: “We are in negotiations with council now and it is too early to announce a decision.

“We are still open and will be open until we move to a new place, and are still accepting aid and providing services to refugees.”

The group is also helping other refugees in the county including from Afghanistan, according to its Facebook group.