Skip to content

Ukraine: Coventry 'will step up' for refugees fleeing invasion

Coventry City Council Coventry Cathedral lit up in the colours of UkraineCoventry City Council
Several parts of Coventry city centre have been lit up in blue and yellow by the city council

Coventry is ready to help refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to the city's bishop.

The Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth said council leaders had confirmed "if this is needed, we will step up".

"This is quite a place we come from, a place that knows suffering of war," the Bishop of Coventry said.

The prime minister said the UK would take refugees as opposition politicians demanded ministers do more.

Dr Cocksworth said he had asked the city council if it would be ready to receive refugees and "there was an immediate response".

"That was an immensely proud moment," he added.

The Bishop of Coventry The Rt Rev Christopher CocksworthThe Bishop of Coventry
The Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth has been Bishop of Coventry since 2008

The authority has lit up several parts of Coventry city centre, including the cathedral, to show solidarity with Ukrainian people.

In a tweet, the council said that "as a proud city of peace and reconciliation, we condemn this unprovoked aggression on Ukraine".

Boris Johnson said the government would help people "fleeing for their lives" as Labour called on ministers to do much more to help Ukrainian refugees come to the country.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told the BBC "we are urgently looking at what more we can do".

Although the UK has waived visa fees, and relaxed criteria, most Ukrainians still need a visa if arriving in the UK from Ukraine.

Presentational grey line

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]