A Berkhamsted-based volunteer group hosted a concert featuring local British and Ukrainian performers earlier this month, raising thousands of pounds for refugees relocated to the area.
Since March 2022, the Berkhamsted and Tring Ukraine Hosting Network (BATUHN) has rehoused more than 150 Ukrainians.
Made up of volunteers, BATUHN has organised various meetups, including running mental health evenings for host families and free weekly English lessons in both Berkhamsted and Tring. The group also runs a free shop out of Aston Clinton Baptist Church, where people can bring donations of clothes, toiletries, and other essentials.
Now, the BATUHN has partnered with the Community Action Dacorum and Citizens Advice Dacorum (CAD) to provide a specialist weekly service from the Citizens Advice Bureau for Ukrainian families. This will cover a number of subjects including; debt, housing, benefits, employment, family, and immigration.
To raise money for this new service, Phillip Goodwin of BATUHN was the first to broach the idea of a benefit concert. Jon and Natalie Glaysher took the reins, organising the event that took place at Ashlyns School on November 12.
Steph Goodwin and The John Crawford Trio performed with guest trumpeter Steph Pirrie, as well as the South of Broadway A Capella group.
Alina, a professional singer who came to the area with her brother and five-year-old daughter, told her story through a series of Ukrainian songs.
Also performing was 16-year-old Sasha Moiseyenko, a violinist who hadn’t played for six months after he left his instrument in Ukraine.
Amie Caitlin Shearer, BATUHN secretary, said: “We managed to get him a violin the week before, and he got up onstage and played really, really well which is a credit to his skills.
“The evening was fantastic; we had a full house and people were just so generous. We raised £10,072 which was double our initial target.”
The money raised will pay for the CAD new service in Berkhamsted and Tring for a full year.
In Berkhamsted, the service will be available on December 5 and 12 at Open Door from 12.30 to 15.30. From December 20 onwards, it will be available at the CA Dacorum Office in Berkhamsted Civil Centre on Tuesdays from 9.30 to 12.30.
In Tring, the service will be available on Thursdays from 10.30 to 13.30 at the Tring High Street Baptist Church from December 1.
BATUHN are always on the lookout for donations and volunteers. For more information visit https://www.berkotringukraine.com/
0 Comments