UKRAINIAN refugees have been given a warm welcome by their new neighbours on the Houlton development.
A meet and greet gathering, which took place at The Barn in Houlton, gave 25 women, young adults and children from the war-torn country the opportunity to meet, make new friends and to share donations collected by the community.
The event, initiated by Houlton’s residents group, was created to bring together Ukrainian refugees with other Ukrainians who have moved in with UK host families as part of the Homes for Ukraine initiative.
The community came together in their droves to make the event a success, donating clothes and toys, as well as providing and making refreshments for those attending.
The Urban&Civic community team donated refreshments and use of The Barn, while The Tuning Fork team provided cups for teas and coffees.
Hannah Craig, community facilities coordinator at Urban&Civic said: “This event was a true showcase of what an amazing community we have here at Houlton.
“The residents came to us to see how we could support in hosting a meet and greet event and within less than 24 hours, with the support of the wider community, we were able to pull off a great event that bought the neighbourhood together.
“Everyone pulled together to make it a success and what a fantastic end result. It was heart-warming to see the coming together of friends and neighbours and the blossoming of new friendships too.”
