Stephen Morgan MP has paid tribute to the contribution of local refugees following a meeting at Saint Simons Church today with Ukrainians he helped to secure visas for and flea the war in their home country.
The Portsmouth MP met with the recently arrived Ukrainian family at a monthly meeting set up by volunteers at Saint Simons Church, which provides support, advice and activities and classes to local refugees, including art classes, crochet, table tennis, flag making, as well as an opportunity for guests to sit and chat.
It comes as the country marks Refugee Week, with this year’s theme focusing on healing.
Refugee Week is a UK-wide festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.
The Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan, said:
“I was delighted to be able to welcome new members of our community to Portsmouth this Refugee Week, and play a part in securing their safe arrival.
“Refugees make a huge contribution to our city and it’s vital Portsmouth does its bit in providing sanctuary to those fleeing persecution in their home countries. The work of volunteers at Saint Simons Church is inspiring and a shining example of our close-knit community.
“Sadly, government has made shamefully slow progress on Ukrainian refugees. Less than a quarter of Ukrainian refugees issued with a visa have actually arrived in the UK.
“The British public have shown strong support, but shambolic Home Office bureaucracy and delays are letting everyone down. I will continue to hold Ministers to get a grip of this and fix the Backlog Britain our country is fast becoming.”
