WITH the announcement that UK households will be given £350 to home Ukrainian refugees, one Newport community appears ready to step up and help.

On Monday, the UK Government launched its ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme, which 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.

Sponsors can nominate a named Ukrainian individual or family to stay with them in their home, or offer a separate property for them to use rent-free.

It's estimated that as many as 2.5 million people have fled their homes in Ukraine, following Russia's invasion last month. 

South Wales Argus: Ukrainian Pavlo Bilodid, 33, kisses his wife and daughter goodbye in Lviv as they prepare to board a bus to Poland. Picture: AP Photo/Bernat ArmangueUkrainian Pavlo Bilodid, 33, kisses his wife and daughter goodbye in Lviv as they prepare to board a bus to Poland. Picture: AP Photo/Bernat Armangue

A number of Langstone residents took to social media to say they are willing to house Ukrainians fleeing the crisis, with plenty coming forward with offers of spare bedrooms. 

And resident Ginny Baldwin, who lives in Penhow, is keen to set up a support group for those in the area that are prepared to open their homes to Ukrainians.

“It’s broken me, the events of the last couple of weeks,” Ms Baldwin said.

“The whole war is so unjust – Ukrainians are beautiful people with a huge amount of pride in their country.

South Wales Argus: Ginny Baldwin wants to set up a group to help those housing Ukrainian refugees.Ginny Baldwin wants to set up a group to help those housing Ukrainian refugees.

“The first thing I did was I got everything out of the house that I could donate. I then bought £100 worth of extra goods to donate to the Westgate Hotel.”

But Ms Baldwin, like many others in her community, is now prepared to go even further to help Ukrainians fleeing the conflict.

“I’d like to set up a Facebook group to help support anybody that is taking refugees in,” she added.

“I know that a few people have come forward to say they’d be happy to rehome Ukrainians so there’s a real will in the community to do this.

South Wales Argus: People in and around Newport have gone above and beyond in their donations for Ukrainians.People in and around Newport have gone above and beyond in their donations for Ukrainians.

“I’m not able to take anybody in myself but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to help – I could source things for people like wardrobes and clothes.”

With energy prices set to soar in the next month, it is a worrying time for households across the UK.

Ms Baldwin believes that a community group would be able to help those that have taken in refugees deal with the added costs.

“That’s what the group would be for, to help anybody that has taken in refugees cope with the rising cost of living also.

“I’ve offered some of my field as space for people to grow veg beforehand and I’d be more than happy to supply families housing refugees with free food.

“I just think everybody is trying to do their best – people want to get involved and help in any way they can.

“Even if there’s people that aren’t willing to have someone in their house – there’s still so many other ways you can offer your support.”

Communities across Newport and Gwent have shown a huge amount of compassion and generosity in recent weeks. 

Some families have driven car-loads of essential donations to the Polish border to help those fleeing. 

A large lorry's worth of donations left Newport over the weekend, as efforts to provide further aid ramps up.