whatThe centre at Blackpool Community Hall has been set up by the Polish charity Together-Razem and was officially opened by the Deputy Lord Mayor and the Ukrainian and Polish ambassadors to Ireland.
Refugees who are predominantly women and children will be able to access a range of free services such as counselling and the centre is appealing for more Ukrainian accredited counsellors to contact them.
Speaking to RedFM News at the official opening, vice-president of Razem, Brendan Dempsey, says some of those who fled the conflict have experienced massive trauma:
"I spoke to one lady here and she put her baby into the cot to go to sleep and she walked up the street to the shop. And when she was in the shop the shelling started and they all dived for cover and when she came out her house was gone and what's really killing her is she doesn't know whether the baby was alive under the rubble for a while, or whether it died instantly. Trauma; the phrase shell shocked takes on a new meaning here and you're heart would bleed for them, God love them. They'll never be happy here but at least they might feel safe when they're here."
A new hub for Ukrainians who were forced to flee the war has opened in the City. More on air and online @RedFMNews @CorksRedFM pic.twitter.com/ojDTuLFnYj
— RedFM News (@RedFMNews) May 10, 2022
