A UKRAINIAN refugee family have ‘hit the ground running’ in their new home in rural North Yorkshire after already integrating themselves into their community – despite only arriving in the UK just two weeks ago.
After battling red tape and visa delays, which saw them cooped up on the Ukraine/Moldova border for over six weeks, refugees Anton, Natalie and their two children Mica and Artem, arrived in Crakehall, Bedale, on Monday, May 2, to live with their new ‘family’ – Alison and Mark Williams.
Having met the two North Yorkshire residents online and ‘pairing’ with them for the Homes For Ukraine scheme, a meeting that had been close to two months in the making became a reality when the two groups met in person for the first time at Northallerton train station in what became “overwhelming and emotional scenes,” according to Alison.
Read more: North Yorkshire couple prepare for arrival of Ukrainian family
In the days since the refugees have arrived, the Bedale community have rallied around them – and helped them set up bank accounts, deliver a full-time job at a caravan park for Anton, raise funds for their guests.
But, according to their new hosts, the Williams family, it’s far from a one-way street in the charitable effort – after finding “friends for life”.
From fixing items in the house, cooking, cleaning, and helping around the Crakehall community – the Ukrainians have made quite the impression since they arrived in the UK.
Alison, who is a childminder by trade and sings in her part time, has even proudly reported that their guests have joined community groups in North Yorkshire, with Anton joining walking football, Mica attending dancing and Brownie sessions, while Artem is trying his hand at Cubs and cricket.
She said: “They’re doing amazingly. They just want to help whenever and wherever they can – it’s lovely to see.
“From day one, they came in and they’ve cooked, cleaned up, fixed all our items. Anton can fix anything, and we’re over the moon that the move has gone the way it has.
“We’re currently waiting on school admission for the kids, but everything else is set. The bank accounts, dentists, doctors, all the mundane stuff is all ready to go. We’re also looking to insure Anton on an old MG we have so he can travel to work.”
As soon as they arrived in the UK, a welcome party was thrown – including the centrepiece; a truckle of cheese in the colours of the Ukraine flag – with the Williams’ family and their neighbours welcoming the Ukrainian refugees.
There’s also plans in the pipeline on June 14 to hold a 1950s/1960s singing show in Bedale – with Alison, who sings in her spare time, planning on doing a duet with Mica that will join the UK and Ukrainian cultures together.
Alison added: “I’d do it again in a heartbeat. So many people are still waiting for their refugee families, but we’re so made up that we have them all here and feel so grateful to have them in our lives.
“A huge thank you to the community here in North Yorkshire – the church helped raise £500, and my neighbour gave me £200 to help them – it paid for their flights over to the UK.
“They’re now our friends for life, and I’m so glad we’ve done it.”
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