Support for people being evacuated from Lebanon 

 

People arriving from Lebanon on an evacuation flight chartered by the British Government have been supported by volunteers providing practical items, emotional support and information.  

While most passengers on the flight were met and supported by relatives and friends, around 50 received support from volunteers at a dedicated wellbeing hub, when they arrived at Birmingham Airport last night (Wednesday 2 October). 

The VCS Emergencies Partnership has been linking up voluntary, community, faith and public sector organisations at local and national level, helping partners work together to understand and meet people’s needs. With most people expected to gravitate towards London, the London Communities Emergency Partnership (LCEP) has been leading this work, connecting partners and encouraging preparedness activity including those with links to Lebanese disapora in the capital. 

Emily Coatham, Partnership Manager for LCEP, says: "Long before the details of flights were confirmed partners in London started contacting us with offers of support and useful insight so we could start planning, together.”

As well as helping to connect in different types of support, the Emergencies Partnership has been sharing key lessons learned from previous evacuations of people from conflict-hit countries, such as the importance of translators and translated information to help people feel welcome and know who to contact if they need ongoing support.

Emily says: “I'm impressed by how often discussions have focussed on all the different communities affected by this terrible conflict, and drawn on lessons identified from previous emergencies. I'd like to thank everyone who's been involved so far, whether they've provided support directly to those affected, emailed a link to a helpful resource or taken part in a discussion."

The partnership will continue to connect, map needs and learn lessons from this emergency, as the situation develops. 

Robyn Knox, director of the Emergencies Partnership says: “This is a traumatic, anxious and upsetting time for so many. We’d like to thank our partners who have been supporting people arriving in Birmingham, and those in the NHS, local and national government who have been liaising with all of us to help make that happen.  

“While the focus at the moment is on those arriving, the roots of this devastating conflict are deep and complex. We are grateful to our broad network of partners for the insight they are providing into the impact this is having on a wide range of affected communities in the UK, so we can continue to work as a partnership to respond in whatever ways we’re needed.  

“By staying connected, united and focussed on providing person-centred support we’ll navigate these difficult times together.” 

Get in touch

For voluntary, community or public sector groups or organisations that want to join the network, visit the Emergency Partnership’s Join the Partnership page. 

For voluntary, community, faith or public sector organisations in need of support from our network during this emergency, please fill in our Request for Support form to be connected with others who could help.

Further reading and resources: 

Ends

For more information about this story please contact info@vcsep.org.uk

About the VCS Emergencies Partnership 

The VCS Emergencies Partnership is a network of more than 300 voluntary, community and statutory sector organisations that come together to provide a more coordinated and person-centred response in emergencies. 

Our aim is for greater national resilience and a better experience for people who are impacted by emergencies, so the support offered meets their needs and respects their rights.