Many of the 323 Ukrainian refugees who have made York their home over the last year after fleeing war in their country have forged friendships with local people that will ‘last a lifetime’, a local charity says.

Rob Ainsworth of York City Church said: “It is clear that York has become more than a temporary home for many people.

“Ukrainians are bringing their culture to the city, adding to society and making York a better place as a result.

“Friendships have been formed with locals that will last a lifetime.”

A report to City of York Council’s Executive published on Thursday - a year after the launch of the national Homes for Ukraine initiative - says that, in the last year, 188 sponsor households across York have opened their doors to 323 Ukrainian guests.

As a ‘thank you’, all sponsors in the city are to be given an extra £100 by the council ‘in recognition of their ongoing support amidst the challenge of the rising cost-of-living.’ More sponsor families are still needed, the report says. The UK government has increased the allowance for host families to £500 a month as an incentive.

But the report also makes clear that many Ukrainians who originally came to stay with host families have since moved into private rented accommodation.

“So far, private landlords have enabled 69 guests to move into homes in York,” it says.

It adds that more private rented homes are now being sought, so that refugee families can start to rebuild their lives.

"Landlords are being encouraged to come forward,” the report says. “Assistance with deposits or upfront rental payments is offered to eligible, low-income guests.”

Rebecca Russell of York City of Sanctuary said helping refugee families move on from host accommodation into private rental housing was hugely important.

"Helping them to become independent is a vital first step in order to start a new life in York," she said.

Rob Ainsworth of York City Church - which, with other churches in York, has been running the 'Ukrainian Welcome Cafe' every fortnight - said the 'backdrop to the arrival of our Ukrainian friends' was 'dark and bleak'.

But it had been 'wonderful to see so many make friends with locals and with each other, to be able to both laugh and grieve together', he added.

Councillor Darryl Smalley, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Communities at City of York Council, said: “The welcome offered by the city’s 188 hosts has been invaluable. The carefully-matched and well-supported hostings have ensured that the overwhelming majority of guests have continued to stay in hosts’ homes or have moved into their own rented homes in the city.”

Any private landlord interested in renting a home to Ukrainian guests should visit york.gov.uk/YorHomeLandlords#incentive or call 01904 555700.