Rotary Club of Uppingham

What have RC of Uppingham done for Ukraine


Ukrainian Support 

According to the county council, over 100 Ukrainian guests are now residing in the county with an even larger number over the border in Leicestershire. Many groups and individuals have offered support and one can only praise the contribution of hosts who have taken the huge step of sharing their homes and their lives with one or more strangers at their time of need.  

As often seems to be the case, well intended bureaucracy has hindered the development of closer ties between those trying to live as temporary residents in our very rural communities and those keen to be welcoming, supportive and generous with their available resources. Data protection, health and safety, and safeguarding (all important issues) have been the justification for a lack of effective communication, mystery and sometimes poor response from officialdom.  There have, however, been a number of notable exceptions, some of which were initiated by our guests themselves.  

One of the biggest issues in moving forward has been the lack of public transport when the generosity of hosts to offer lifts to work places, shopping locations and places of interest has conflicted with need to conduct their daily lives.   Some guests used to urban life have been allocated to villages without any public transport links and very few facilities.   

While initially proving to be very safe and idyllic for children, the admirable desire of most Ukrainians to be self-reliant and not totally dependent on others, has resulted in an increasing concern about their access to services, employment and the motivation to self help.  

Here in Uppingham there have been encouraging and interesting self-sufficiency developments. The Rotary Club of Uppingham has allocated significant resources to meet the needs of guests upon request. This local initiative is strengthened by access to a Rotary district grant scheme enabling a wide range of member and community response. Perhaps the most helpful has been the decision of Rotary in Uppingham to work with Community Partnership Uppingham First to help fund the ability of the Uppingham Hopper to expand its much valued service, such that it has been able to respond to Ukrainian requests (by text) for a mid-week and weekend public transport service to get them out and about. Well done to their hosts for identifying the possibilities and then leaving their guests to make their own destination arrangements, rather than having to conform to a predetermined and generic arrangement.     

Hopper trips in the past few weeks have included:-

Facilitating a sightseeing trip to London by operating a 7.30am bus link to Corby Station with a return link at 11pm

Operating a Saturday morning shopping service to town from a village with no bus link at all

Transporting a group of young families (before 10am)) to Burghley House and Gardens and back (after 4pm) as a special treat on the 2022 Ukrainian national day of celebration 

A great family day out and introduction to the local countryside and the farming community on a farm operated by a wonderful farmer and his wife who are Elders of a Leicester church. 

This latter experience is worthy of comment. Officialdom would probably never have allowed it. A memorable adventure with the children and adults having tremendous fun and a valuable learning experience. Who would have thought that a hundred or so bales of straw, a few go carts, a miking herd surrounded by chickens and hens, a tractor trailer ride, a straw bale seating outdoor cinema and, unbelievably, a purpose built and well supervised indoor full size swimming pool, could be so much fun. Everyone was reluctant to leave at 5pm. This farming family exhibited rural community values at their most exemplary. Two small wind turbines and rooftops full of solar panels, a huge range of old and not so old farming machinery, and many other fascinating objects to be found on busy a dairy farm completed the picture.   This was no artificially created visitor attraction. Watching one child gaze with awe at the sheer size of the attractive cow in close proximity to him, while being surrounded by clucking hens, was a picture long to be remembered. Travelling back in the bus the adults who had texted the request for transport to the farm were clearly delighted with the outcome, while the children continued to extract pieces of straw from about their person.   What’s the next trip they all shouted. Where would you like it to be? was the reply.    

Rotary subsided trips into the countryside and local rural towns on the Uppingham Hopper (outside its normal operating hours) are also being supported by volunteer members of CPRE Rutland, the countryside charity.  Are you a Ukrainian guest who might enjoy one? Text 07710 328 469 to make contact and learn more. 

Ron Simpson    26.8.2022

This Press article does not pretend to present a fully comprehensive picture of what RC Uppingham and our community is doing at present:

  • Our President is providing 2 ESOL lessons per week in a local village hall for Ukrainian guests
  • We have a system of providing lifts for guests when public transport does not fit the bill
  • We are on our 2nd Disaster Response Grant, administered by our Ukraine Response Team (URT), and maintain a good liaison with our local District Council to ensure that we meet our guests’ needs
  • We have recently been given £1250 by local residents to spend on “treats” for guests
  • Our URT has produced a “guide to Rutland” for guests in Ukrainian 
  • Our local Community runs a Ukjrainian support meeting each Monday afternoon in the local Methodist church

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