We are pleased to report that over £64,000 has been raised through the Helping Hand for Afghanistan appeal to provide emergency and long-term support direct to the refugees sheltered in our wonderful county.
Heart of Bucks worked in close partnership with Buckinghamshire Council to coordinate the collection of donations from across our communities to support newly arrived Afghan refugees – a huge thank you to everyone who donated to the appeal.
Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, Martin Tett, said:
“The rapid response of Heart of Bucks allowed us to channel all the wonderful community offers. The immediacy in which the Helping Hand for Afghanistan Crisis Fund was established enabled our local community to easily contribute to this very worthy cause as events unfolded in the media. The collaboration made it simple and accessible for not only donations but also the amazing offers from landlords and a wide range of support packages.”
Families have started to be received into Buckinghamshire and are being supported as they integrate themselves into the local community. We have awarded a number of grants so far and we will continue to support these families as they settle into their new lives.
The grants awarded have been used for a variety of different purposes, including:
- Translation of a welcome pack with essential information, to help families navigate their new life in Buckinghamshire, into Pashto and Dari
- Purchase of household essentials such as mattresses and bedding, towels, and basic kitchen equipment (utensils, pans, dustbin/cleaning equipment)
- Purchase of children’s items such as bedding and footwear
- Emergency support for food
- Purchase of bus fares for a pregnant lady to be able to attend hospital
We are also delighted to share that the lovely messages left by donors to welcome the refugees to Buckinghamshire were translated into Pashto and Dari and shared with the families.
Helping Hand for Afghanistan is one of three crisis funds for individuals and families managed by Heart of Bucks. We are continuing to raise funds for Winter Warmth to help those facing fuel poverty, and Family Angels for families in crisis. Further details on these funds can be found here: Winter Warmth | Family Angels
