Everyone’s welcome in Hammersmith & Fulham. That’s why we’re working to ensure arriving Ukrainian refugees receive the best support possible.

We’re working with H&F Giving and West London Welcome to create the H&F Ukraine Appeal. The appeal will supply support, advice and items to refugees who have fled the conflict and local residents affected by the crisis.

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine is destroying millions of innocent lives, and we have seen the horrors of war unfold daily causing a humanitarian crisis,” said H&F’s Lead Member for Refugees, Cllr Rebecca Harvey.

“We at H&F stand with the Ukrainian people and are ready to welcome anyone fleeing the conflict – and we thank those who have reached out to offer support and care to refugees.”

H&F Giving are accepting donations of all sizes and every penny given to the appeal will be spent directly on Ukrainian refugees arriving in H&F.

A £20 donation can help provide refugees with a friendly community space to gather together in and reconnect with each other in H&F. £100 can help provide a mother and child with the essentials, and £500 can help provide therapeutic or casework support for arriving refugees.

Donate now

Support for Ukraine

Many of our residents also want to help those on the frontline. If you’d like to help, but aren’t sure how best to, you can find out here.

“Imagine fleeing terrifying danger in your home country and finding yourself in a new part of London, confused about who to trust. We don’t want that to happen to those who land in Hammersmith & Fulham,” said Savraj Kaur, Executive Director of Hammersmith & Fulham Giving.

“The first arrivals from Ukraine have been helped, but we expect more. A cash donation to the fundraiser will ensure the right professionals, from therapists to legal advisors, including those with the right language skills, are on hand to respond locally.”

Or check out the different ways you can help, and find support here:

Homes for Ukraine scheme: Are you willing to host a Ukrainian refugee? Register your interest on the GOV.UK website.

Please let H&F Council know if you’ve registered your home on the Government website, or require support for a family member on the Ukraine family scheme by emailing communityconnect@lbhf.gov.uk or calling 0800 145 6095.

Need immigration or visa advice?

The Ukraine Advice Project provides free immigration advice by qualified lawyers for those fleeing Ukraine.

Worried about family or friends?

Find out who to contact on the GOV.UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals page.

To find out more about H&F’s work to support all refugees, please visit our supporting refugees and asylum seekers page.

Help for those who have arrived

GOV.UK – Welcome guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK

H&F Information for refugees or asylum seekers in H&F

Finding a school place

If you know a refugee or asylum seeker who has recently arrived in H&F and is school aged, find out how you can secure them a local school place by contacting our school admissions team on 020 8753 1085 or visit our school admissions page.

Have you received your Covid-19 vaccination abroad?

Book an appointment at a local vaccination site who have the facilities to validate vaccinations that have been administered abroad. Visit the tell the NHS about coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccinations you’ve had abroad page.

A captivating collection of photographs and stories celebrating local residents is on show in a free exhibition at Fulham Palace.

The ‘Humans of Hammersmith & Fulham’ exhibition showcases the portraits and tales of around 70 local people in a creative project aiming to promote a sense of belonging across the borough.

Created by local charity H&F Giving, the exhibition features the stories of residents in their own words, including volunteers, sportspeople and those pivotal to services through the pandemic. The displays are being showcased throughout the historic rooms of Fulham Palace until 10 March.

“The exhibition focuses on collecting photographs and interviews to form a living catalogue of individuals from Old Oak to Sands End to inspire belonging, sharing, and inclusion for all,” explains Savraj Kaur, executive director of H&F Giving (formerly known as United in Hammersmith & Fulham).

“A key part of the exhibit is the voices of the people, through direct quotes which capture the mood of communities and individuals.”

Stories from across the borough

Among the stories are those of Fulham Palace volunteer Marvel, who recalls meeting the Duchess of Cornwall; Somali-British civil society leader Adam Matan OBE; and Solidarity Sports founder Sean Mendez, who helps local children reach their potential through health and fitness.

Produced in collaboration with volunteer portrait photographer Nahwand Jaff and curated by Kate Walter, the exhibition was first launched at Hammersmith’s Lyric Theatre in January 2020 by H&F Giving’s patron, Lord Alf Dubs.

Since then it has grown, and it continues to do so as new images and stories of residents who “live, work or play in the borough” are being added to the collection, adds Savraj, using “storytelling for our [charitable] purpose”.

“It’s turned out to be what I had hoped – a way to convey social issues, to tackle prejudice, and to learn more about our neighbours,” she adds.

Go and visit

The Humans of Hammersmith & Fulham exhibition is open daily from 10.30am to 4pm at Fulham Palace in Bishop’s Avenue until 10 March and will later move to the Imperial College Invention Rooms.

Find out more by visiting H&F Giving online.

Three local residents whose efforts have made a huge difference to those less able to cope during the pandemic have been recognised in the New Year Honours.

Fulham couple Julian and Maria Sturdy-Morton have been awarded British Empire Medals for organising fresh food deliveries to housebound people. “We’re both thrilled to bits,” said Julian.

And Savraj Kaur, director of the charity United in Hammersmith & Fulham, has also won a British Empire Medal after drawing on her experience in disaster zones to launch a rapid-response appeal during the first lockdown – raising £100,000 in the first month by working in partnership with H&F Council.

The New Year Honours aim to mark the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the UK. The BEM has the same status as an OBE or MBE.

Savraj Kaur

The citation from the Cabinet Office says Savraj Kaur’s British Empire Medal is for “services to the community in Hammersmith & Fulham, particularly during Covid-19”.

It is “so well deserved”, says H&F Leader Stephen Cowan, who described Savraj as “a fighter for social justice, often working around the clock to help people”.

Cllr Cowan added: “She’s prolific… from tackling isolation and providing Christmas meals to getting tech to young people who cannot afford it, but need it for their studies. She’s making a real difference.”

The 38-year-old from Fulham Reach is director of United in H&F. And her speedy efforts to set up the lifeline appeal – in partnership with H&F Council – helped raise funds for local community groups as the first pandemic lockdown struck in March 2020.

As individuals and firms donated, she spearheaded a system of micro-grants so aid could reach those in need without delay.

More than 140 local programmes were funded, assisting 130,000 people, from domestic violence victims to at-risk youths and Fulham war veterans, while isolating senior citizens received culturally appropriate food parcels.

Savraj has also been working with H&F Council to tackle ‘digital poverty’, co-founding Ready Tech Go, a BAME-led initiative refurbishing laptops and tablets for families without access to technology as part of our Tech4Kids Appeal.

“I’m humbled, and must say that the real achievements each day are happening thanks to volunteers, paid workers or simply great neighbours who are doing so much with so little recognition,” she said of the BEM, adding special mention to Kevin McGrath, her chair at the time the pandemic hit.

Born in Hammersmith Broadway, Savraj worked in the UK and overseas (including providing humanitarian relief in Iraq) before joining United in H&F.

A board member of West London Welcome, which supports refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, she is also a co-editor of UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action Report.

Maria and Julian Sturdy-Morton

The Fulham couple have each been awarded British Empire Medals for services to the community during Covid-19, diverting resources from the cultural and social networks which they have run for more than 13 years to provide fresh food parcels to those in need.

Maria and Julian, who live in Edenhurst Avenue, and who both turn 70 this year, run A Bit of TLC Ltd, a 1,200-strong group of mainly retired people in the borough who enjoy outings, hosted excursions, walks, concerts and breaks.

After the pandemic put a halt to most activities, the group changed focus to organise food shopping and prescription deliveries to those isolating.

Julian liaised with several of the wholesalers at New Covent Garden Market, whose supply businesses had fallen off a cliff as hospitality closed, and – with the help of 150 volunteers – set up a distribution hub at The Hurlingham Club to prepare fresh food parcels for home delivery.

“We found some shocking instances of local poverty,” said Julian. “We found one 80-year-old man living in half a garage near Putney Bridge, with no fridge or heating. He didn’t even possess a tin-opener, using a chisel instead.”

He joined a list of 500 households who received regular food parcels, including the first-class fish and meat from wholesalers that had originally been intended for Mayfair’s finest restaurants. One hundred of those 500 homes were provided with food completely free, while contributions were made by those that could afford to.

“We were lent a large area by The Hurlingham Club to use as a packing shed, and our 150 volunteers managed to package up more than 12 tonnes of fresh produce for distribution,” said Julian. “We obsessed about hand hygiene and social distancing – and reported no Covid cases among our volunteers!”

Emma Hayes

Five years after being made an MBE, Blues manager Emma Hayes has been elevated to OBE for services to football in the Honours.

She’ll attend Buckingham Palace in the summer to receive her gong after completing a remarkable quadruple with Chelsea Women – the club she has managed for a decade – in the past season: WSL trophy, FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield.

It crowns a year in which she was inducted into the newly created FA WSL Hall of Fame, established herself as a forthright TV pundit and signed a new contract with Chelsea.

“It was a huge shock to hear I had been awarded an OBE. It’s an unbelievable honour for me and my family and a privilege I take very seriously,” she said.

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