Pembrokeshire County Council has said it welcomes refugees who are seeking a safe home in the county’s communities, from Syria, Ukraine or from elsewhere.

The county council has said that as a response to the Ukrainian crisis, the Community Hub, which is run by PAVS, will expand its current offer to people who are arriving from Ukraine, and their host families or sponsors.

The Community Hub first went live in March 2020 to assist in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and continues to help those in Pembrokeshire who are looking for information and support.

It also acts as a contact point for people wanting to volunteer, but don’t know where to start. It has now been repositioned to help once again after the Ukrainian crisis started.

A county council spokesperson said: “Pembrokeshire County Council will be playing its part to help some of the refugees coming to Wales and ensure they receive the right support when they arrive.

“As an authority we are still waiting for further advice on what is required – but we are continuing to liaise with the Welsh and UK governments and key external partners.”

Currently, the Community Hub is awaiting the finer detail of the support that will be offered at a Welsh and UK level for people arriving in Pembrokeshire.

In the meantime however, the team is looking for volunteers who speak certain languages and would like to support Ukrainians arriving in Pembrokeshire.

These languages include Ukrainian, Russian, Crimean Tatar, Moldavian, Hungarian, Romanian and Bulgarian.

Pembrokeshire County Council chief executive Will Bramble said: “This has been an incredible effort from everyone involved during a fast moving situation and I thank everyone who has worked to make this happen. 

“To see community groups help in their own locality and our officers and partners working with them to coordinate a response is truly heartening.

“The Ukrainian crisis has presented us with the biggest refugee challenge in Europe since the Second World War. But by working together we can demonstrate our compassion and kindness to those facing traumatic and significant difficulties.”

If you would like to volunteer your language skills, contact the hub on 01437 776301 or ukrainecommunityresponse@pembrokeshire.gov.uk.