Lyme Regis Town Council will be giving £750 to help a refugee family settle in the Uplyme/Lyme Regis area.

On March 27 last year, the full council approved a 2019-2020 grant of £750 to the Uplyme Community Sponsorship scheme.

This was to be used as a contribution towards finding suitable housing for a refugee family displaced by war for five years.

Belinda Bawden of Uplyme Community Sponsorship group said: “Please could the town council consider moving the £750 grant awarded to the Uplyme Community Sponsorship scheme forwards into the 2020-2021 financial year as the refugee family will not be arriving until then.

“Any spending will only start to happen once the group is notified by the Home Office of the family that they have matched to the services and support the community can provide.

“Since the group was formed just over a year ago, Uplyme community Sponsorship has held fundraising events and activities every month and at the Auction of Promises and Arabian dinner on November 30 reached the minimum funding specified by the government of £9,000.

“Uplyme Community Sponsorship continued to fundraise, aiming to raise £16,000 as recommended by neighbouring community sponsorship schemes.”

Discussing the request at a recent full council meeting, Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, said: “I put down a couple of words and the word that seem pertinent to me are that it seems reasonable. They’ve got a good reason for it and it’s a reasonable request.”

Cllr Gill Stammers said: “I would like to propose we grant that request.”

The town council agreed to the request from the group.

So far the Uplyme Community Sponsorship group has raised £12,000 of their target of £16,000.

The group has identified a suitable private house for the family to rent in Uplyme and has submitted the resettlement plan to the Home Office following approval by Dorset Council and East Devon District Council.

The family will be arriving from Syria in the next few months.

Ahead of the family’s arrival, the Uplyme Community Sponsorship group needs to build a team of volunteers who can help with driving, befriending, offering volunteer and work experience, accompanying the family to appointments, bookkeeping and admin.

It is particularly looking for ESOL/TEFL qualified language training and help with decorating the family’s new home.

If you would like more information or want to support the resettlement of a Syrian family email uplymecommnitysponsorship@gmail.com