I am very grateful to Caritas: Diocese of Shrewsbury and RESET a refugee support agency for helping me navigate the initial registration process for inviting a family from Ukraine to take residence in St Mary of the Angels presbytery in Hooton.

The online registration complete, RESET will be looking to identify a family in need that would fit the particular property, location, and language needs that they have.

In the interim, may I share two things by way of preparedness: First, would any Ukrainian, Russian, or Polish speaking parishioners please make contact with the parish office so that we have an immediate way to make them feel welcome, through the gift of those who are multi-lingual. Secondly, I shall call a parish meeting when a family has been allocated to invite donations of what we will need: bedding, kitchen supplies, etc and to ensure we have a team to support the family as they settle in.

My thanks for the words of support and encouragement from many of you this past week. Please pray ahead of time for the family that might come to be with us – that they will feel safe, welcome, supported, and loved.