Ukrainian summer programme

Twenty displaced Ukrainian children and their parents are taking part in a new summer programme at Lee Valley White Water Centre.

The children, aged 8 – 16, are enjoying weekly activities on the lake such as kayaking and paddleboarding at the Olympic legacy venue in Waltham Cross, while their parents receive skills coaching in spoken English, first aid and CV preparation to help them establish their new lives in Hertfordshire.

The programme, the first of its kind in Hertfordshire to support both children and their parents, has been organised by the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, Ukrainian School of Hertfordshire and funded by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority’s Active Communities Grant Scheme.

Cathy Zugaj, Chair of the Waltham Cross branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, said the programme had been a collaboration of different groups from Hertfordshire but was the brainchild of the Deputy Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield, Michal Siewniak.

Cathy explained: “There are lots of pockets of Ukrainians within Hertfordshire and this collaboration has brought some of them together. They can widen their networks and make new friends. It’s also an opportunity for the parent, predominately the mother, to take time to learn new or refresh old skills. All the sessions are being taught in English to help them improve their conversational English, as this can be difficult in their day to day lives.”

The sessions at Lee Valley White Water Centre take place every Friday morning during the summer school holidays and have been made possible thanks to the Authority’s grant funding that provides financial assistance to community groups and charities for long term projects that encourage people to be physically active. Grants up to £5,000 are awarded to help pay for coaching, transport and venue/facility hire, enabling more people from underserved communities to enjoy the many activities available in Lee Valley Regional Park.

The families taking part in the programme come from across Hertfordshire including Waltham Cross, St Albans, Welwyn Hatfield, Cheshunt, Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamstead.

“This was a good opportunity for the children to do something different in the school holidays and to highlight what Lee Valley White Water Centre and Lee Valley Regional Park has to offer. There is so much more than you realise,” added Cathy. “The feedback after the first session was great. The children loved it and didn’t want to come out of the water.

“When my father arrived in Waltham Cross after the Second World War there was no one to help him and I never thought in my lifetime I’d be helping Ukrainian refugees. But we’re doing our bit to help them.”

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority’s Senior Active Communities Manager Jack Pringle says the Authority’s funding support has provided thousands of experiences for people from across the region. “It’s great to see the impact this programme is having on the group. The children are building new skills in the water, and you can see their confidence grow week by week. Plus, they’re having a lot of fun and making new friends. We’re really pleased we’re also able to support their parents, providing space for them to learn while their children are out on the water. Our funding programmes were established to support underserved communities and bring new groups to experience all that the park has to offer, and this is a great example of that.”