A recently circulated message from Nick Lowles, CEO, HOPE NOT HATE is quite helpful as we have been watching the news with horror as the crisis in Ukraine rages on. Everyday our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and all those around the world whose lives have been torn apart by conflict.
As our screens are flooded with images of war, it can be hard not to feel completely overwhelmed. We all want to do something to help, but it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s why I wanted to write to you today, as a fellow member of the HOPE not hate community, to share some suggestions for actions you can take and information you can use in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
Support organisations working with refugees and on the front line in Ukraine
This blog outlines a number of organisations and campaigns that you can support - we plan to keep updating this, so if you have other suggestions we could include please reply to this email to let us know.
Stand with people seeking sanctuary
It is crucial that the UK creates safe, legal and humane routes for people fleeing war and persecution in Ukraine and elsewhere. This includes immediately abandoning cruel measures in the Nationality and Borders Bill which is back in parliament next week. If passed into law, this bill will make it harder for Ukrainian refugees and other people seeking asylum to find safety here in the UK.
If you want to take action on this issue, you can join these campaigns by Together with Refugees, Refugee Action and Amnesty International, and sign this petition.
Call out hate
The best and worst of humanity are often on display during times of crisis and the situation in Ukraine is no exception. Everyday we’re hearing of extraordinary acts of courage and generosity in the face of oppression, but there are also those who are cynically seeking to exploit these events.
Our recent blog explores how the far right is responding and members of the HOPE not hate team discuss the hate and fake news surrounding the conflict in our recent Radio 43 podcast here. We’re also starting a new blog series where we dig deeper into the links between UK far right figures and Russia, starting with Stephen Lennon (AKA Tommy Robinson) who has a long history of pro-Putin statements, support from Russian media and Kremlin-linked misinformation campaigns - find out more out here.
It’s also been deeply disturbing to see a range of racist commentary as part of the coverage of the Ukraine crisis. You can read and share HOPE not hate researcher Safya Khan-Ruf’s take on this here.
Thank you for everything you do,
Nick Lowles
CEO, HOPE not hate
Alternatively, Luton Council has also compiled a list of organisations and appeals that you might consider supporting and would encourage anyone feeling powerless to visit the following weblink. https://m.luton.gov.uk/Page/Show/Community_and_living/Pages/supporting-ukraine.aspx
And here’s a helpful link from Quakers https://www.quaker.org.uk/our-work/peace/ukraine/ukraine-refugees
