About Us
Who we are...
We are a warm, compassionate community in the Chiltern Hills and across Buckinghamshire, standing together to support Ukrainian individuals and families who have fled the full scale war in their homeland.
Our mission is simple yet powerful:
To help Ukrainian people escaping war settle safely and with dignity in our local area — creating a truly welcoming, empowering, and inclusive environment where they can rebuild their lives, find hope, and feel truly at home.
What We Believe — Our Core Values:
- Compassion & Empathy — We open our hearts and homes because every person deserves safety, respect, and kindness.
- Inclusion & Belonging — We actively work to eliminate social isolation, especially for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, ensuring everyone feels seen, valued, and connected.
- Cultural Respect & Celebration — We cherish and share Ukrainian language, traditions, music, food, and heritage while building bridges with our wider Buckinghamshire community.
- Resilience & Empowerment — Through education, employment support, mentorship, mental health resources, and practical help, we empower people to thrive, not just survive.
- Collaboration & Partnership — We achieve more together — working hand-in-hand with local councils, schools, businesses, charities, and residents to create sustainable support networks.
- Advocacy & Representation — We lobby the interests and needs of the Ukrainian community in the UK with the UK Government to make sure Ukrainian voices are heard, their lives here are more stable and protected, and their rights are upheld.
What We Do:
- Organise regular community events, workshops, cultural celebrations, and family activities — bringing people together to socialise, learn, heal, and belong.
- Provide signposting and direct support to alleviate poverty, access housing, immigration updates, employment opportunities, and mental wellbeing services.
- Run tailored programmes that especially reach children, young people, older adults, and those living with disabilities or trauma.
- Foster meaningful friendships and mutual understanding between Ukrainian newcomers and Buckinghamshire locals.
- Advocate on behalf of the Ukrainian community — We actively engage with UK Government departments, MPs, and policymakers to raise awareness of the challenges Ukrainian families face in the UK, advocate for clearer pathways to stability (including housing, employment rights, and long-term visas), and ensure that Ukrainian voices are represented and heard at the highest levels.
Whether you are a Ukrainian family seeking support, a local resident wanting to help, a business looking to partner, or simply someone who believes in the power of community — you are welcome here.
Together, we build hope. Together, we rebuild lives. Together, we make sure Ukrainian voices are heard and protected.
How it all began...
HUSC was a local community group of 51 host families and 155 volunteers, driven by compassion and empathy, who have come together to help Ukrainian people fleeing the war. This small community went on to support more than 300 Ukrainian people.
The community group was established to support Ukrainians who were coming to this area through the ‘Family’ and ‘Homes for Ukraine’ Schemes.
It initially included: South Heath, Ballinger, The Lee, Lee Common, Hunts Green, Kings Ash, Lee Gate, Swan Bottom and Hyde End, and later also provided support to hosts and guests in neighbouring areas where there was no existing community group e.g. Great Missenden and Hyde Heath.
The community warmly welcomed Ukrainian families to the Chiltern Hilltop Villages, a community of small adjoining villages and towns in the South East of England.
The volunteers formed a network of support for their friends from Ukraine who had been forced to flee their homes in the face of unimaginable horror. They offered not only a warm welcome, but also a place of safety where people could begin to rebuild their lives. Although the challenges of settling in a new country with a different culture and language were significant, the group remained committed to providing both practical and emotional support wherever possible.
Our Community featured in the Daily Express (national newspaper)
Our Local Area
Our community is located in the heart of the Chiltern hills, in the county of Buckinghamshire, just 25 miles to the north-west of the United Kingdom’s capital city, London. It is a semi-rural community, classified as an “area of outstanding natural beauty” with rolling countryside and extensive ancient woods (great for walking, cycling and exploring).
It is an affluent part of England and our historic villages are peaceful and safe with very low crime rates. A national paper ranked the area as one of the “best places to raise a family in the UK”. We are a community who look after each other and are justifiably proud of the beautiful area we live in and the strong, cohesive community we have built.
Location
Although semi-rural we are just a short drive to the many amenities which Buckinghamshire’s larger towns have to offer (Chesham, Amersham, Great Missenden, Wendover, High Wycombe, Aylesbury). Here you will find shops and supermarkets, multi-faith churches, restaurants, pubs, cinemas, theatres, hospitals, schools and many leisure facilities.
Getting about
From the nearby towns there are excellent transport links with a regular train service to London (under one hour). For those who intend to drive in the UK, there are excellent motorway networks nearby and four of the UK’s largest international airports can be found within an hour’s drive.
