A total of 150 Ukrainian refugees are expected to come to Bristol, the city's mayor has said, with some having already arrived.
In recent weeks, the Government has faced criticism over the speed and scale of its efforts to bring fleeing Ukrainians from the Russian invasion to the UK. One of those people to criticise the UK government was a Ukrainian living in Bristol who said the government response was "too slow".
However, the Home Office has said it stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and that the changes made to the visa process will make it quicker and simpler for Ukrainians with valid passports to come here. Nearly two weeks after Russia had launched its attack in Ukraine, local authorities in the Bristol region were still waiting for Government guidance on the welcoming of Ukrainian refugees in the area.
Read more: Ukrainian says UK government is being 'too slow' in support for refugees
However, a week later, the city council was able to give some more details and, speaking during a press briefing today (March 30), Bristol mayor Marvin Rees said there are 150 Ukrainian refugees registered to come to Bristol. He said: "One of the challenges with this is that it it is a national scheme, that was thought up, designed and announced without any conversation with local government. And it is being administered nationally as well.
"This has been an ongoing problem where the Home Office have put people in hotels without talking to the local authority. And we have one here again.
"Something is announced, we then have to work out how we make it work."
The city mayor said that some Ukrainian refugees have now started arriving in Bristol, including children with certain particular medical needs who have come to the city's hospitals. Mr Rees described supporting Ukrainian refugees as a priority and said that, for example, the council is looking at the support it can provide to host families and how to build networks of host families to build support groups.
"One of the other areas that our team are currently working on as well at the moment is those people who would like to support Ukrainian refugees, but could not themselves become sponsoring host families," he continued.
"They may like to connect directly to a host family and support them on other ways, short of actually taking people on themselves. So we are really trying to build a Bristol community around this, totally in line with us being a City of Sanctuary."
The Homes for Ukraine scheme, rolled out earlier this month, will allow individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to bring people fleeing the war to safety - even if they have no ties to the UK and receive £350 per month as a "thank you" payment.
Mr Rees emphasised that they need more foster families, adding that there will be situations where there are children in need of homes. "We have also stressed the importance of ensuring that the support that is being displayed now is a standard that is set for all refugees, from all countries, in all crisis in the future," he added.
