Dozens of volunteers from Essex who welcomed refugees from Ukraine at Stansted Airport were thanked at a special event.
Attending the event to offer his gratitude was guest of honour Eduard Fesko, the Chargé d’affaires and interim Ambassador to the United Kingdom for Ukraine.
The event was to thank volunteers from Uttlesford Community Action Network (UCAN) and other partners from the community and public sectors for their work to help refugees from Ukraine.
The volunteers and community and voluntary sector partners were at the centre of the Essex response to the Ukrainian guests fleeing the war.
Volunteers staffed the Ukrainian Welcome Desk at Stansted Airport arrivals and helped direct guests to services including onward travel, accommodation, basic needs and telephone charging.
Clive Emmett, Chief Executive Officer at UCAN, said:
I am very proud of the UCAN volunteers and the welcome they provided at Stansted Airport. It was very stressful for the Ukrainian refugees. They had fled a war zone and had left loved ones and their possessions behind.
Councillor Kevin Bentley, Leader of Essex County Council said:
I am exceptionally proud how the people of Essex came together to offer help to people in a crisis. I thank those people for their selfless work, the time and love they put into supporting strangers in need.
