The brethren from Miles Coverdale Lodge have donated £500 to the Torbay-Ukraine Support CIC.
This charitable organisation was created in order to help support the Ukrainian refugee community to settle in the UK, through a programme of education.
Formed in June 2022, the Torbay-Ukrane Support CIC is the largest Ukrainian support group in Torbay. It currently provides support to over 150 Ukrainian refugees and their hosts in Torbay and surrounding areas.
Dr David Harwood said,
'We are most grateful for this donation from the Freemasons of Miles Coverdale Lodge which will enable us to continue to deliver language lessons to our visitors through our education programme.'
David added
'We hold Saturday Clubs where we currently support 46 adults by delivering both French and English language lessons. We cater for all levels of English and our teacher volunteers are fully accredited from the Totnes School of English. Some of our Ukrainian friends are now working and so we hold 4 language classes a day from morning through to evening in order to accommodate those that have jobs.'
Simon Chapman said
'Our aim is to remove barriers to education. The local Baptist and Catholic Churches provide accommodation free of charge for our ‘Saturday Clubs’ and we have retired teachers providing childcare in one room while the parents and other adults learn in another room.'
Simon also added
'It is also crucial that we promote positive mental health and wellbeing too and so we also work alongside ‘Safe-Ways Torbay CIC’ in providing a safe place for our Ukrainian friends to openly talk about and discuss what they are going through and provide facilities to support those missing their home and family.'
Worshipful Master of Miles Coverdale Lodge, Steve Batt said
'It is so important that we support our Ukrainian visitors who have been displaced from their country, their homes and separated from their families in such devastating circumstances. The Torbay-Ukraine Support CIC are doing a tremendous job and we are pleased to be able to assist them in a small way in order to help bring some stability during this terrible time for our Ukrainian friends.'
