I, and a team of other incredible people have spent the last 6 weeks working to organise safe passage for Ukrainian Refugees with UK Visas to travel to the UK.  Its taken 60+ hour weeks for multiple volunteers and we are making a difference.  I am working with Coaches2Ukraine (www.coaches2ukraine.org however there are a number of other incredible people who are also working to help provide safe transport.

This type of effort needs government support to ensure the country can maximise the help it can offer to people displaced by the war in Ukraine.

Like everyone else in the country, I have fixated on the events in Ukraine since the Russian invasion, and the humanitarian crisis emerging in the bordering countries. For example, Poland who have taken many (mainly) women, children and pensioners who are escaping the war. As the first refugees started to escape the fighting, I was moved by the sight of many of them arriving in Berlin and being met by warm-hearted Germans holding signs saying things like “family of 4” to demonstrate the number of people they could accommodate in their homes.

After a considerable amount of media and social pressure, the UK government announced its scheme to encourage the public to take Ukrainian refugees into their homes. This scheme takes effect once the refugee has arrived in the UK.

However there is nothing being done to help refugees travel from the Ukrainian border to the UK, at a government level or even by UK charities.

We have no formalised travel routes, let alone a formal Transport Policy to help move families, pensioners and pets safely to the UK.  For anyone who has no money, does not speak another European language, is vulnerable in some way, perhaps with young children, this can put them at great risk, not least of human trafficking. 

Existing charity groups do not have the structure to support this and the logistics mean a new type of support is needed. The support is coming forward in the form of hard working and dedicated volunteers, but funding and support from government agencies is vital to ensure they can link up with existing services to make the UK response to this crisis shine as an example for good.

Please will you help us to spread this message far and wide, and sign this petition. The Government needs to fix the UK 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme by funding co-ordinated Transport to the UK, and engaging with the hardworking volunteers who are currently trying to fill the void.

Thank you,

Katie White