A West Lothian housing provider has pledged to support Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion by offering 300 available homes to local authorities across Scotland.
Wheatley Group marked World Refugee Day on Monday but offering homes to local authorities in Scotland, including West Lothian.
The offer by Wheatly will help support the First Minister and Scottish Government’s pledge to home a fair proportionate share of displaced people from Ukraine arriving in the UK, the Daily Record reports.
READMORE : Heartbreak as Edinburgh soldier killed after joining the fight in Ukraine
Wheatley Group Chair Jo Armstrong said: “We want to play our part in supporting Ukrainians who are seeking sanctuary from the war and provide them with a safe place to live during this ongoing crisis.
“We will use our expertise and experience, as well as our scale and capacity, to bolster Scotland’s response to the unfolding horror of the war in Ukraine. We will ensure our tailor-made wraparound support services meet the urgent needs of refugees from Ukraine, as it has for the people and families in turmoil who’ve arrived here from other countries in recent years.”
Minister with Special Responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine, Neil Gray MSP, added: “We appreciate the Wheatley Group, as Scotland's biggest social landlord, making homes and support available to displaced people from Ukraine. Alongside their everyday work to support people with housing needs, they have recognised the importance of assisting national efforts to house thousands of people fleeing Ukraine.
“The Scottish Government and partners have been providing practical support to displaced people. Ensuring we have a supply of safe, secure homes in partnership with councils, housing partners and individual host volunteers is a vital part of this work, and we are grateful to everyone who is supporting this.
“We also welcome the Wheatley Group’s generous bursaries to help Ukrainian musicians to continue their studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.”
The Wheatley foundation - the group’s charitable trust which invests more than £5 million a year to support disadvantaged and vulnerable people in Wheatley communities - will also offer six education bursaries worth £3000 over two years to support students studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland from September.
The charity will offer hundreds of homes to local authorities and is the latest contribution from the company to those fleeing war-torn countries. Between January 2016 and December 2021, they re-housed 1,356 people who had fled their homes and come to Scotland.
The company is also offering a welcome pack for refugees to help them access information and advice on their rights, choices, housing options and tenancy agreements translated into the five most spoken languages by refugees.
They will also get information to help them access employment, education and volunteering, as well as make cultural and social connections and get involved in leisure and sport.
The pack, which will be available online and in hard copy, will also contain details on Wheatley’s support services, including emergency food through EatWell, furniture through Home Comforts, help with benefits advice and fuel advice, and help to settle into a new home through My Great Start.
