“Ukrainians living in Sunderland had to flee their homeland, but this city can provide them with a safe place to rebuild their lives,” says a charity that supports migrants in Sunderland.

ICOS (the International Community Organisation of Sunderland) is a charity that supports migrant people in Sunderland, including Ukrainians fleeing the invasion of their country.

Local businessman, Phil Gibbs, invited the charity and those it supports to an event of the Houghton and Sunderland South Parliamentary Constituency Labour Party where they were able to share their experiences.

The event facilitated a meeting between Andrii and Iryna, two Ukrainian people supported by ICOS and the Rt Hon John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence as well as Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities.

Every year, ICOS supports 600 migrant people through one-to-one advice and advocacy, and many more through social and wellbeing activities, including Ukrainians.

Andrii, a lived experience volunteer at ICOS, said: “This is a struggle between a free society, living in a free country where we can decide our own future, and a society that does not know freedom — a country that seeks to impose itself on its neighbour”.

Surprise on the night was when event organiser and former Mayor of Sunderland, Leslie Scott, passed on to the Minister of Defence a gift symbolic of Ukraine he had received in 2007 from the Mayor of Kremenchuk who had been on a visit to Sunderland to study the renovation work on the city’s parks.

Michal Chantkowski, Development and Services Manager at ICOS, said: “Ukrainians living in Sunderland had to flee their homeland, but this city can provide them with a safe place to rebuild their lives.

“Many want to use their skills and experience in a place they now call home. Local charities, including ICOS can help them to integrate and feel welcome in the local area”.