A FACEBOOK group has been launched to offer support to host families in Dorset who are opening their homes to Ukraine refugees.

The BCP Hosts and Guests Facebook page has been introduced by a Poole resident as a support network for Dorset host families and has quickly become a platform for those involved in the Homes for Ukraine scheme to share advice and information.

Admins of the group intend for the Facebook page to be used by the refugees themselves, allowing them to contact other Ukrainians seeking refuge in the area.

A spokesperson for the group said: “It’s difficult to arrive somewhere and not know anybody. How are they supposed to connect with people or find someone who speaks the same language as them?

“They have a very limited amount of people that they can connect with.

“The group is a platform for people hosting and their guests. It means everybody can link together, connect, share their experiences and perhaps meet up. It’s also a hub with all the information people need in one area.

“It’s about bringing people together.

“All I want is for somebody to be able to meet up with someone else for a coffee and smile even after everything they’ve just come from.”