Financial Summary 2022/23
Chairmans Report - Sofiia Volovyk
Swindon Welcomes Ukraine (SWU) was established in April 2022 to support hosts and guests through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and to help build a Ukrainian community within the Swindon area as well as helping them integrate into the local community.
I summarise below our objectives for the year and how we have performed against them.
The aims of SWU revolve around 3 pillars:
1. Information:
To provide a go-to online resource for potential hosts, new arrivals, those living here and for hosts.
To inform that community about our work projects and things they can participate in like events.
To represent the Ukrainian community in Swindon and advocate for them, locally and nationally.
2. Integration:
To help Ukrainians settle into Swindon and find easy pathways for access to local services and education.
integrate into the wider community of Swindon and
establish a community and identity of their own.
Collaborate with other bodies that work with the Ukrainian community (Swindon Borough Council, Harbour Project, Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership)
3. Mobility:
To find ways to assist guests in being actively mobile in the local area.
To enable quick and simple transportation to jobs, education or for leisure/exercise.
How have we performed against those objectives?
Pillar 1 -Information:
The Website
The website was built initially to inform Ukrainians about Swindon and to provide practical information on the Homes for Ukraine scheme for hosts and refugees. Over the year the site has evolved into a more comprehensive reference platform providing information on:
Hosting – positive stories, guides for supporting effective integration (registering with a GP etc), tips for successful hosting
What the options are after 6-12 months,
Housing options,
Event information,
Community news,
Bike donations and requests
Social media channels
A focal point for media
Advocate for Ukrainians in the community
Swindon Welcomes Ukraine have been very successful in working with local MP’s and Councils to ensure that hosts and our Ukrainian guests are represented locally and their issues and challenges are heard on a local and national level.
We have also appeared on Local and National radio through BBC Radio Wiltshire, Times Radio, BBC Points West, ITV West Country, GBTV, BBC online, Swindon Advertiser website and print on numerous occasions. Features have included; refugee arrival, bike project, Sofiia’s charity walk, Classical music concert, fundraiser for locally brewed Ukrainian Beer, young Ice Hockey player, housing provision. Please see our news section for more.
Kris Talikowski our Vice Chair, organised the first ‘Leader for Ukraine Summit’ for all support organisations involved in Ukrainian communities across the country. It was attended by our MP Rt Hon Robert Buckland, Opora (Ukrainian matching and news charity), and representatives from other support groups around the country. It was well attended and very successful with many thoughts and ideas shared and relationships fostered. More Summits are planned.
I embarked on a challenge to walk from Swindon to the top of Ben Nevis. My intention was to positively represent the ambition and spirit of Ukrainians in the UK, raise funds for our projects and also send money to help those in difficulties in Ukraine. I raised over £3,200 with half going to SWU and half to Rescue Now, a charity in Ukraine helping the elderly and evacuating people from war zones. My walk also garnered significant TV & radio coverage. Sadly the walk was cut short after 400 miles, with the death of the queen, but is restarting on the 6th May King’s Coronation day.
Pillar 2 - Integration
Events
We have run many events throughout the year to help build and integrate the Ukrainian community:
Trip to Parliament with the Rt Hon Robert Buckland MP
Jubilee Party in the Park - Lydiard
Family BBQ for hosts and guests at Lydiard Park
Open mike nights - Timmys Bar
Ukrainian inspired beer launch - Hop Kettle
Host open evenings to encourage new hosts to come forward.
Bike rides with Lets Ride Swindon
Classical Concert - Christchurch
Business start up courses
The partnership with the Pattern Church has been pivotal in helping welcome our guests and to establish connections and a community feel. They run weekly coffee and chat sessions called ‘The Table’ providing opportunities to join english lessons, a Ukrainian choir and run regular excursions to local attractions.
Pillar 3 - Mobility - the Bike Project
One of the key aspects of community integration was mobility. The need for refugees to get around the town to go to; interviews, school, work or to the supermarket. Thus, the idea of providing them with locally donated bikes was born. At the year end (2022), we had issued 176 bikes and safety equipment.
We initially started by using the services of local bike shops who were prepared to service bikes at cost. However, once the number went over 20 their ability to support us tailed off and we needed to take control of the repairs “in house”. Rev Tom Morgan offered the top floor of the Pattern Church and our bike project was born. Treasurer and cyclist Dave Thrower became the Bike Lead and trained as a Cytech certified cycle mechanic. He was then joined by another Cytec qualified mechanic Martin Heal and assistants Gavin Gibson, Jon Elliman and Roger Bryan.
In June/July the waiting list for a bike was over 75 people with a wait time of about 6-8 weeks. The team worked weekends to clear that backlog and prioritised those who needed a bike for work or school. Now there is currently no waiting time and we are able to fulfil requests quickly.
Logistics remains an issue with only the mechanic’s cars to pick up bikes - this is not ideal as bikes are heavy to get in and out of a hatchback. We are currently looking for a volunteer with a van able to fulfil this requirement.
Summary
Have we achieved our objectives? Success is not about Swindon Welcomes Ukraine, but should be measured by the impact that we have had on the people we set out to help - providing them with a warm welcome, a safe haven from conflict and helping them integrate into a new community and culture.
We have over 350 Ukrainians now in the Swindon area. Many now have jobs and are cycling to work or school/college. The English language is being spoken for the first time by most, or more fluently by those who had a basic knowledge.
New friendships have been fostered by Ukrainians from all parts of their country. Plus new relationships have been built in the community with a greater appreciation of each others cultures.
I know from talking to my new friends from Ukraine that they really appreciate the support that the UK and Swindon have given them. Temporary sanctuary for some, and possible a new home for others.
The fact that we have played a part in making that happen, is the measure of our success this year.
Over the coming year, work will continue to welcome and support Ukrainians to integrate within the Swindon community. We will continue to carry out fundraising activities, social events. and encourage new hosts. Where possible, we shall assist those wanting to move into rental properties, working with landlords, estate agents and the local council. There’s plenty still to do.
Sofiia Volovyk
Chairperson
Financial Summary 22/23 - David Thrower (Treasurer)
We have had a very successful year and have squeezed out a lot of community value from the £12,000 we raised during the year.
I have summarised below where our money has come from and how it has been distributed through the course of the year.
Pic: Treasurer & Bike Lead Dave Thrower being interviewed at the BBC
Overview
Our turnover for the year was almost £12,000.
70% of this was raised by the team and from direct donations from the public. £3,000 was a grant from Wiltshire Community Foundation and £500 from Magic Stars.
Stand out fund raising achievement’s were: Sofiia’s walk from Swindon to Scotland which raised over £3,270 and Keseniia’s Classics concert which raised £1,500. We also had a very successful beer launch at the Hop Kettle which raised £1500, but this features in the next years accounts.
We are very grateful to all those who gave us money and or bicycles to keep the projects running.
Running costs £1,342
The bulk of the running costs are in the provision of the website; software, hosting, translation and email service.
All SWU officials and helpers are volunteers and are unpaid giving their time and often transport for free.
Bike Project £6,361
The total cost of the bike project was £6,361 with 221 bikes serviced and 176 issued, the balance being stock.
The project has been funded 40% by funds raised by the committee, the balance being grants from Wiltshire Community Foundation and Local Giving.
The bikes that come in vary widely to almost unused, through to those that were on their way to the dump and are uneconomic to repair. These “wrecks” are broken up for spares as needed, and are still a valuable resource to keep costs down. The cost of a bike repair varies from £2 to clean, adjust & lubricate a quality bike, to £40-£50 where new tyres, tubes, cables and chain are needed. Mostly though the average is around £10. We have a stock of around 35 bikes, half of which are children’s bikes.
All bikes are issued with a helmet, lock and lights (where needed), this equates to around £30 per person. At our peak we gave out about 15 bikes per week. The run rate is now around 5 bikes per week which still equates to £650-800 per month including repairs. There were some initial set up costs like; work stands, racking, specific bike tools and a stock of common parts like tubes, lubes, cleaners, brake & gear cables, grips and chains. Mechanics bring their own common tools in.
We have a trade account with Raleigh, so most parts and equipment are obtained at cost. Mechanics and assistants all give their time and transport voluntarily to collect, restore and fit locally donated bicycles.
Occasionally we get an “expensive” bike in - 2 last year. These are sold to raise funds to purchase parts or more suitable bikes for our customer base. e.g. A Liv Road bike was sold for £350 and from the proceeds we bought 12 more suitable city/hybrid bikes.
From Jan 2023 we needed to pay for light and heat for our workshop at the Pattern Church, for days the bike project is operating. This will come out of 2023-24 funding. Heating is essential in the winter when the workshop was as low as 2 degrees. It’s not needed from May on.
Events - £1,032
Throughout the year we have put on a number of events, either for social purposes or for fund raising. Those necessitated the purchase of some equipment like flags, t-shirts, art materials, food and refreshments.
Sofiia’s unsupported walk from Swindon to Scotland required some kit to be purchased for the trip; tent, sleeping bag clothing etc. Some kit was donated. Total spent was £504 but the walk raised over £3,200, so was a sound investment.
£100 was provided for fuel for long trips e.g. London.
Donations out to Ukraine - £2,050
All donations came from fundraising events organised by our Ukrainian Committee members who want to help those back home. Donations were made to small charities in Ukraine that the committee felt were helping local people in need:
Sofiia’s walk: £1,500 to Rescue Now, who help the elderly and displaced escape the war zone.
Classics Concert: £275 to Embrace Me and £275 Patients of Ukraine., money towards an ambulance and for medical parts for limb reconstructions.
Outlook for 2023/24
As the year closed out we had just enough cash for 1-2 more months. However, I’m pleased to report that Swindon Borough Council have agreed to fund our website & bike project to the sum of £6,500. This is great news as it allows Swindon Welcomes Ukraine to continue to offer these vital services. The website has become an essential portal, providing advice, support and signposting visitors to further information. We will continue to develop and update the site further over the coming year.
This also means that other fundraising can be focussed on the community and integration events. Thus the outlook for 23/24 is positive.
David Thrower
Treasurer
