I appreciated the opportunity to join Penzance and Madron Cub Scouts for their coffee morning on Saturday. This was in aid of Ukrainian refugees, and I know there are lots of opportunities to support community organisations as they raise funds for this important national effort. A similar opportunity takes place on April 9th at Pengelly Retreat in Drym near Leedstown where the gardens will be open to visitors.
You will be aware of the humanitarian sponsorship scheme announced by Government for Ukrainian refugees. Each home offering accommodation for a refugee or family will receive £350 per month and the local authority will receive at least £10.500 for each refugee to provide support including school spaces. Working age refugees will be able to work and each refugee will have access to public services. This scheme is an improvement on scheme for Afghans who are staying in closed hotels with little support or interaction with the community around them. Many people who want to help will not be able to offer a room, but this model seeks to avoid compounding the already acute pressure on housing.
The scheme applies to people who have second homes which would provide a particularly good option for Ukrainian families, and I’ll do what I can to promote this way of helping where possible. Every Ukrainian sponsored in Cornwall and on Scilly will be welcomed and there will be opportunities for us all to help and support them in practical ways. As these opportunities arise, I will work with relevant organisations to ensure they will be promoted via social media and local press etc.
The need for cash remains and one organisation that we are familiar with here in Cornwall is Samaritan’s Purse. This organisation organises the Christmas Boxes every year and tens of thousands of Christmas boxes have found their way from Cornwall to some of the poorest countries on Earth. In response to the invasion of Ukraine Samaritan’s Purse has landed a DC-8 cargo hospital plane into Poland and is setting up a field hospital in Ukraine. The field hospital can treat up to 100 outpatients each day, has beds for 50 inpatients and can undertake 14 major surgeries each day or 30 minor surgeries. The organisation is also providing backpacks containing hygiene products and blankets for refugees as well as water, food to refugees on the main escape routes. Every penny donated will go to the effort in Ukraine and along its border.
The online Climate Focus event last week rated as one of the best yet in my view and this was despite the fact that the intended speaker - COP26 President Alok Sharma MP, was unable to take part due to ill health. In his absence and in light of the Government’s announcement that the UK is to end gas and oil imports from Russia, attendees were invited to speak for a minute on energy security in the context of our commitment to end carbon emissions. The discussion covered a range of aspects to this challenge and every speaker had valid points to make. In an online poll nearly, everyone supported the decision to end these Russian imports. Alok Sharma, COP26 President until November, has confirmed that he can join us next Thursday (24th March) at 5pm. You can register to take part here.
