Welcome to the December update
We wish you a safe and peaceful festive period. Merry Christmas and happy new year!
These bulletins are now every two months and we'll send separate bulletins if anything more urgent happens in between bulletins.
If you know of any groups, ideas or good news stories you would like us to share, please email ukrainesupport@easthants.gov.uk
There's lots of information on our website about the support available for hosts and guests.
To translate this bulletin into Ukrainian, please click the orange icon with 'speak' on it.
eVisa reminder
From 06 August, any person with a biometric residence permit (BRP) expiring on 31 December 2024 can now create a UKVI account and access their eVisa, without needing an invitation from UKVI to do so.
There is a helpful tutorial on creating an eVisa account in Ukrainian on YouTube.
Citizens Advice has also produced a useful guide to creating an eVisa account on their website.
Visit the GOV.UK website for more information
Important! Check your immigration status online
If you have already registered your eVisa account - please make sure that your immigration status is also active and correctly displayed.
You need to follow the link 'start now' (green button) and enter your BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) number and date of birth as well as the 6-digit security code that will be sent to you.
If after these actions a page titled 'your immigration status' with your photo appears, it means that your eVisa account has been successfully registered.
View your immigration status on GOV.UK
Get ready for the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme
On Tuesday 26 November 2024, the government announced the first details of the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme which will come into force in early 2025.
The scheme will open on 4 February 2025 and further details on the scheme (including who, when to apply, what you will need) can be found on GOV.UK.
Food banks and community pantries
As winter is approaching, there is an updated list on the on the EHDC website for all the local foodbanks (Alton, Bordon, Headley, Horndean & Clanfield, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield) and links to their details to find out more about their opening times and locations.
Community pantries have a small membership fee attached to them (usually between £5-£10) and for this cost, you can visit and have a weekly allowance of items to take home. Criteria is often based on having a local post code.
For example, the community pantry at Cafe 1759 in Bordon costs £5 for a weekly allowance of 15 items.
There are two community pantries in Bordon and a mobile food larder in Clanfield and Woodlands Hall, Headley Down.
More information on food support in the district
Mental health support
We appreciate this time of year can be difficult for families and if you do need any help or support, please see our list of local organisations' that can help you and your children.
We have information on the support available locally on our website. It can be translated into Ukrainian using the website translation took (the orange icon that says 'speak')
What's on over Christmas and New Year
Alton Santa
Santa will be touring Alton in December, fundraising for local voluntary organisations.
Christmas events in Alton
Find Christmas events in Alton on the Alton Events website (run by Alton Town Council).
Events in Petersfield over the festive period
There are several events being held in Petersfield over Christmas which you can find on the Petersfield Town Council website.
Christmas events in Whitehill & Bordon
If you live in Whitehill & Bordon, you can find out about Christmas events on the Whitehill Town Council website and the Whitehill & Bordon Community Trust website.
