Luton airport has established a humanitarian hub to provide practical support for passengers arriving from war-torn Ukraine.
Arrivals will be greeted by volunteers from the Bedfordshire and Luton Emergency Volunteers executive committee, British Red Cross and the airport Chaplaincy.
The initiative has been organised by Bedfordshire’s Local Resilience Forum which brings together partners such as local authorities, NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups, emergency services, the charity and voluntary sector and the airport.
The hub aims to provide a warm welcome to those suffering the trauma of being uprooted from their homeland, according to the airport.
Chief executive Alberto Martin said: “As an international airport we help to connect cultures, places and people, so it has been heart breaking to witness events unfold in Ukraine.
“We are proud of the support we provide to our communities and are glad we can play a small part in ensuring a warm welcome to Ukrainian families as they arrive in the UK.”
Amanda Carcary, senior emergency response officer for the British Red Cross in Bedfordshire, said: “Kindness is so vital when people arrive in the UK after an experience like this, which is why our teams are trained to give emotional support as well as help people with practical things.
“We know that people are leaving family behind in Ukraine and enduring long, cold journeys to get to safety, so we are here to offer them a warm welcome.
“We have Ukrainian-language welcome packs with key information about life in the UK.”