Date:
(News source: Surrey County Council)
Agencies across Surrey are currently helping with the repatriation of Afghan migrants to the UK. Surrey is a welcoming county, and several local boroughs have already opened their doors to help house individuals and families fleeing to the UK.
Woking Borough Council is working Surrey County Council and other boroughs and districts, health providers, the voluntary and charity sector, other local partners and central government to ensure families can be resettled safely.
While the immediate need is to find accommodation to house people once they have completed their stay through managed quarantine service hotels, there are wider needs to be considered, including health, social integration and basic supplies.
Our communities stand ready to support this effort and many Surrey residents are asking if they can help. Due to operational and logistical challenges, as well as COVID control considerations, we are asking that any donations at this point are financial ones, to charities that are best equipped to immediately support Afghan refugees. The Community Foundation for Surrey is set up to administer these donations locally and information on how to donate can be found on their website.
Alternatively, the Red Cross are already active in managing donations and supporting arrivals from Afghanistan, and wider local support will be needed from foodbanks and other charities, which can be found via Surrey Information Point.
People wanting to volunteer can register through volunteer@woking.gov.uk. We are interested to hear from people who could offer help over the next year with local integration and support with informally teaching English and helping families to access IT. We would also love to hear from volunteers who can speak Pashto or Farsi.
Thank you for your generosity and support.