AN Evesham group are calling for Wychavon and Worcestershire County Council to help house Syrian refugees.

The Evesham Vale Welcomes Refugees (EVWR) group wants to help house 20,000 vulnerable Syrian refugees in the UK over the five years up to 2021.

The scheme was launched in late 2015 and in 2016 Worcestershire committed to receive 50 refugees from the camps in Lebanon, where there are few facilities and very little hope.

Around 12 families arrived during 2016 and early 2017, and were successfully housed in Worcester, Redditch and Kidderminster.

The group claim that Wychavon has received no refugees at all.

EVWR has created a petition which has been circulating around local community organisations and churches, urging Wychavon Council at its meeting on December 13, to ‘do our share’.

The EVWR recently held a meeting with Nigel Huddleston MP at Evesham Methodist Church, chaired by Revd Dr Ed Pillar from the Baptist Church.

Cllr Lucy Hodgson, Worcestershire County Council's cabinet member for communities, said on behalf of Wychavon District Council and the county council: "We are really pleased with the progress that families have made since arriving in Worcestershire.

“Our focus has been on ensuring the needs of our existing families continue to be met as they enter their second year of resettlement. We are providing support so that they can continue to improve their English, learn new IT skills and meet their needs by helping them to move into employment.

"Local communities have provided a key role in supporting these families to become independent and self-reliant, so that they have the opportunity to prosper, be healthy and happy in their new lives in Worcestershire.

“Wychavon, like all councils across the county, is committed to offering to help resettle refugees but unfortunately we were initially unable to place any in the district due to a lack of suitable and affordable accommodation in the private rented sector.

“In conjunction with our housing partners we are currently undertaking an assessment into the availability of suitable properties within the private rented sector across Wychavon and other parts of the county.

"The findings will be presented to the leaders of Worcestershire Councils early in the New Year.”

Nigel Huddleston, MP for Mid-Worcestershire said: “I had a very constructive meeting with Evesham Vale Welcomes Refugees Group last week, who are doing some excellent work to promote the cause of refugees in our area.

"While the UK is taking in thousands of refugees including thousands of unaccompanied children, concerns have been expressed about whether we are doing enough locally.

"Worcestershire has taken in about 50 refugees so far.

"The council works with local volunteer groups to help the refugees settle in to their new communities.

"It is important that refugees settle where they have the best chance of integrating into the local community and where local authorities have the best capacity to assist-  and the government is working with local authorities around the country to help refugees settle in to their new lives.  

"We have a particular housing shortage in Worcestershire, and the local refugee welcome groups and other bodies are doing a good job at helping identify available housing that would not push other local residents already seeking social housing down the waiting lists.

"Worcestershire refugee welcome groups have played a key role in helping refugees feel welcome.

"They have helped people settle in to their local communities, use public transport,  find  jobs,  learn English and find accommodation.

"I praise the work they do and hope that they continue to work with the local authorities to help refugees who have been through such a harrowing experience feel welcome.

"We are a welcoming community in Worcestershire and I look forward to liaising with local groups like the Evesham Vale Refugee Welcome Group and the Council as we look to play our part in helping and accommodating vulnerable people who have fled terrible and often violent conditions.”