01/10/2026
✨️Chat Buddies: making a difference through conversation
🇺🇦 Ukrainian refugees have been living in and around Wells since early 2022. Many
have learned some English, but for adults juggling work and family responsibilities,
improving their spoken English can be difficult. Their children often learn quickly at school or college, leaving parents – especially mothers – feeling frustrated and
isolated.
💪To help, Wells Welcome Hub launched a Chat Buddy pilot in February this year,
pairing Ukrainian refugees with local English-speaking volunteers. The response was encouraging: we soon received almost 20 requests from Ukrainians, and volunteers came forward following an appeal.
🥳 We now have 13 active Chat Buddy pairs, with more Ukrainians waiting to be
matched.
This is not teaching. It is simply an opportunity to meet regularly for a friendly chat – helping someone practise the English they already have, build confidence and feel more comfortable speaking.
👭👬👫 Many of the original pairings are still meeting today, and both Ukrainian and English buddies tell us how much they enjoy and value the contact. It’s a simple idea that can make a real difference.
💭 Could you be an English Chat Buddy? If you enjoy talking to people and have a
little time to spare, you could help someone feel more confident and connected in
their new community.
📧 If you’d like to know more or are interested in becoming a Chat Buddy, please get in touch. [email protected]
*featured below are some of our wonderful Chat Buddies
