Ukrainians in the UK: 'We're safe here but always thinking of home'

The government's Homes for Ukraine scheme, launched in March 2022, allowed Ukrainian nationals fleeing their war-torn homes to stay with a sponsor in the UK for up to six months. Almost 100,000 refugees took up the offer. Ten months later, the BBC caught up with one family in Buckden, Cambridgeshire to see how the experience had affected them - and how the Cambridgeshire village has offered them hope.

Nataliya Rudyk, 37, was a human rights lawyer in Ukraine and also taught students with special needs.

She was pregnant when she came to the UK in April with her 12-year-old daughter, Vlada, and eight-year-old son, Bogdan. Her husband Vadym joined them later.

The family lived with a host family in Godmanchester for seven months and now rent their own home.

She says after Russian rocket strikes near her home in south-west Ukraine, it was "very dangerous for me and my family".

"I understood I needed to go to another country," she says.

"It's a really new life for us, because everything is different.

"The situation in our country is very bad. We're living in a safe place but all the time we're thinking about our family - my mother, my father, my sister with a baby, my husband. It's difficult.

"But Ukrainian people are still fighting and still need help. I want to say to English people, if you want to help, you can do this because any help is very important.

"Any help with simple things - shampoo, toothpaste, food, warm clothes - everything will be very helpful for Ukrainian people because food is very expensive, double the price now. It's a hard situation, it's terrible, it's a war."

The Help Ukraine Cambridgeshire group supported Nataliya and her family, helping their 12-year-old daughter Vlada gain work experience.

"I really like it here - they are nice people and I have nice friends," says Vlada, who helps out at The Salon on the Green hairdressers.

Salon owner Julie Charalambous says the team want Vlada to feel at home.

"She's come out of herself, when she first came she was very shy," Julie says.

"But talking to customers and chatting to her about her day, her week at school and how different it is from Ukraine to here in England, we're learning ourselves about the differences.

"She's doing really really well and hopefully we can help her integrate and enjoy it really."

"It's definitely helping with my language - I'm using the language more - I'm meeting new friends, new people," Vlada says.

"I like it - I like to help out - and I'm happy."

Nataliya's husband Vadym - also a lawyer - has been welcomed by St Neots Rugby Club for training. He played rugby back in Ukraine.

The club is helping to fundraise for generators and aid to be sent to families without power in Ukraine, including the agricultural area Vadym and his family originate from.

Club secretary Paul Baker says: "I think the whole area has embraced them because we have some refugees in our own village we've helped come across.

"It's great that we can integrate people into a more normal life while they're here. We're very pleased to be able to help.

"I hope that in due course Vadym will be able to invite the club to tour in Ukraine and play rugby there.

"That is the world of rugby, touring and meeting people and enjoying each other's countries - it's part of what this club does."

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]