Column by Stroud MP Siobhan Baillie.

Fiver Fest is back and bigger than ever locally with Dursley, Nailsworth, Stonehouse, Stroud and Wotton-under-Edge all joining the campaign to support local businesses. 

It was great to see so many posters up in Stroud town centre when I was there at the weekend. 

Well done to Tony Davey from our local chamber of commerce in Stroud for all his tireless organising and to everybody who steps up. Each town works really hard to make this happen.

The initiative gives shoppers special £5 offers that highlights local independent retailers and what they contribute to the local economy. It is also a way to say thank you to everyone who supported our local shops during the pandemic.

We need to support our high streets in every way possible and I am a huge supporter of Fiver Fest and of high streets in general.

The Government unveiled a sponsorship scheme this week for people to host a Ukrainian refugee rent free in their home for at least six months. In return they will receive a thank you of £350 a month. Councils will also receive £10,500 per refugee to help with support with more available for children. A website to express an interest in hosting has been launched.

Ukrainians on the scheme will be given leave to remain for three years, with the right to work and access public services. School places will be found and this is all in addition to other schemes and measures to assist refugees. Crucially, the UK is sending £400m to countries that border Ukraine to support refugees as this is what the Ukrainian government asked for. They anticipate that most refugees will want to stay close to their homes.

Last week, I gave the Home Office a hard time in parliament about the poor response to setting up systems that worked and that people could rely on. Since then, the visa process has been made easier, gone online and visa numbers are beginning to rise rapidly. Along with the sponsorship scheme, I think the Government has made more rapid progress while balancing the need to safeguard the UK's security and offering sustainable support for traumatised refugees.

The Government is also continuing its excellent work helping the Ukraine with humanitarian aid and other support. Worldwide sanctions are tough and are hurting Russia but on a compassionate level we have just flown 21 Ukrainian children into the UK with cancer for life-saving treatment. President Zelensky asked Boris Johnson for mobile generators to bring electricity to places hit by power shortages due to bombing. More than 500 of them will soon be on their way.

The continuing war is heart breaking and the images of the attack on the Mariupol maternity hospital were truly terrible. I know people across Stroud, the Valleys and Vale are angry and upset but I also know they are generous and I am sure many will answer the call to house refugees in the coming weeks and months.