Ukrainian mother-of-two 'feeling loved' in new Worcestershire home

A Ukrainian mother-of-two says she feels lucky and her children are "smiling every day" after they moved into the home of a family in Worcestershire.

Sylvie and Simon Baduel-Butler, from Martley, offered up their home as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

They welcomed Alla, her six-year-old daughter Yeva, and eight-month-old Ostab, who arrived from Kyiv.

Alla said the household has had made her "feel loved".

Up to 100,000 people in the UK signed up to the scheme in the first day of it being launched by the government last month.

Each household is being offered £350 a month tax-free, and are not expected to provide food and living expenses but can choose to offer it.

Mrs Baduel-Butler said they took part in the scheme because they wanted to help a family, and they have the space after their children left home for studying and travel.

She said: "I have a bit of experience helping refugees in Worcester and I knew it would be a very exciting thing to do because we are helping someone who needs refuge, and also it's about learning a new culture."

Alla said she sleeps in one room with her son and her daughter has her own room.

She said she has left her husband in Kyiv and her journey to the UK was "very difficult", but people helped her.

"Fortunately I didn't hear bombs or rockets. But my family, my husband they stay in Kyviv and they listen to [the] war," she said.

Mrs Badual-Butlet said the response from the "tight-knit" community she lives in has been "absolutely amazing" and "super positive".

"We're going to be very, very good friends, we know that," she said.

Alla said she was very happy in her new home and was relieved her children were settling in.

"I think I'm a lucky person and I am happy and my children are happy and smiling every day," she said.

"All [of the] house [has] made me feel loved. It's magic."

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