James visited the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk's Ukrainian Welcome Centre to talk about help and support for Ukrainian people settling in West Norfolk.
During the tour of the new centre, James spoke to the council team leading on providing support to individuals and families to help then adjust and feel welcome in West Norfolk. This is a collaborative effort with the county council, Job Centre Plus, and other organisations working together to offer advice on schools, jobs, healthcare, and other services. He welcomed the involvement of the Ask Lily team.
James was encouraged to hear that the council currently has seven Ukrainian and Russian interpreters and mental health support available. He was also impressed by the response from local businesses who have kindly offered free and discounted services for Ukrainians entering West Norfolk, as well as some businesses keen to match professions and offer jobs where they can.
The team at the council went on to explain the importance of matching professions for Ukrainians entering the area when assisting with finding employment.
Commenting after the visit James said:
"I was pleased to hear about efforts the council, local Job Centre Plus team, along with the county council and other organisations are taking to help Ukrainian refugees settle after their horrific experiences. With local people hosting families and local businesses also stepping up, this demonstrates how West Norfolk is pulling together to help the people of Ukraine."
He was joined on the visit by Cllr Middleton, Deputy Leader of the Borough Council.
