War Rages On
As I write, Ukraine awaits the outcome of the vote in the US House of Representatives for additional funds for Ukraine’s military. Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, is confident of a positive result but acknowledges ‘considerable political resistance’. Sadly, a swift resolution to the conflict seems as far away as it ever has and the spectre of an American election in 2024 resulting in a seismic shift in policy is a horrifying prospect. Here in the UK, attitudes also seem to be subtly hardening a little to the Ukrainian plight, with the horrors of war in the Middle East currently uppermost in the minds of those inclined to sympathise with the issues associated with displacement.
Hope
This atmosphere of unpredictability and potentially shifting loyalties only compounds the suffering experienced every day by those who are separated from their loved ones back in Ukraine and it is palpably difficult to keep hope alive. But, somehow, this is precisely what our two families manage to do and it is our privilege to look for the light alongside them.On The Move
Welcome Bureau remains wholeheartedly committed to our aims and we have had a busy and constructive few months achieving them. We welcomed our second Ukrainian refugee family in August and were delighted when Clifton College offered us a place in the sixth form for the son. He has started in earnest and is enjoying playing football alongside his studies. The mother and son have settled into the little house in St George and our original guests have moved to the flat in Bishopston owned by two founder members of the charity. Both dwellings, furnished entirely from donated goods, exude a homely, nurturing and productive atmosphere; no surprise that both boys are doing well at school. Over the summer, our first family organised a plaque and a video message from Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv, thanking Bristol Grammar School for their support of Ukrainian children – a much appreciated and heart warming gesture.
Art Exhibition
On November 9th, Welcome Bureau is hosting a private view of original paintings by Bristol-based artist Elaine Shaw, with 10% of the proceeds being donated to the charity, along with the receipts of a raffle for a signed limited edition giclee print. All our supporters are welcome.Glorious Alchemy Christmas Fundraising Concert
The choir has been busy preparing a full seasonal set of Christmas numbers and we all look forward to performing at the Clifton Club on Wednesday 13th December. Please join us – tickets are available here:
Thank You
Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has enabled us literally to redouble our efforts just a year after the charity’s inception. We plan to dig deep and offer as much support and comfort as we can in the difficult winter months ahead and can only do so with your backing. We are so very grateful for your generosity in every sense – time, money, energy, advice, resources – in what is for many an already challenging environment.
With warmest wishes,
Isobel Trenouth, on behalf of the Welcome Bureau Trustees
Isobel Trenouth | Katie Clarke | Lynn McGeoch | Julia Greenbury
October 23
Welcome Bureau is a charity registered in England and Wales (1201450)