Last 50 Ukrainians to leave Glasgow cruise ship

Fewer than 50 Ukrainian refugees remain on a ship in Glasgow that has housed 1,200 over the last six months.

The MS Ambition, which is docked near the Breahead shopping centre, is set to leave the city at the end of next week.

But plans are in place to accommodate all the refugees before the Scottish government's contract ends.

A spokesperson added there would also be no time limit on the support they could access to find a new home in Scotland.

The ship has been operational since 14 September but the Scottish government's contract expires on 31 March.

The most recent monthly figures showed that - as of 14 March - 365 were on board compared with 1,135 in January.

But on Wednesday, members of Glasgow's Integration Board, which runs health and social care services, were told only 57 Ukrainians were left on the ship.

Since then that number has dipped below 50.

Andriy and his family spent five months living on the ship before moving to a three-bedroom flat in nearby Govan.

The HR professional, from Lviv, now has a job with Cosgrove Care and is currently running a pilot project to recruit more people for the social care sector.

His artist wife, Natalia, is studying at Glasgow Clyde College and running masterclasses on painting Easter eggs.

And the couple's children Maria, 10, and eight-year-old twins Oleksiy and Polina have been able to stay in the same school they enrolled in last October.

Andriy said he was grateful for all the support his family had received they arrived in Scotland, even from strangers.

He told BBC Scotland: "Overall people have been very kind, very helpful and very supportive.

"A woman on a bus saw the trident (Ukrainian coat of arms) on my jacket and said: 'You will win. We are supporting you'."

The father-of-three described the family's time on the ship as a "unique experience" and said it was invaluable for helping them to build a new life after leaving their war-torn homeland.

But Andriy admitted he initially struggled to find accommodation, with some landlords demanding six months' rent up front.

The family eventually found a place to stay thanks to social enterprise letting agency, Homes for Good.

He said: "We are very grateful and very lucky."

Andriy is aware of people who lived on the ship but had now gone back to Ukraine.

But he said this decision was influenced by their personal circumstances and the part of the country they came from.

Andriy plans to return one day but is wary of going home in the current climate.

He added: "There is no safe place in Ukraine at the moment."

Earlier this week Susanne Millar, chief officer of Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), told the board that plans for all those still on the ship were in place.

It is understood some refugees will move in with host families, some have found their own accommodation, in the private sector or via housing associations.

Others have returned to Ukraine, having been asked not to go back until the winter was over.

On Thursday Labour councillor Cecilia O'Lone asked whether refugees would be accommodated within Glasgow or across the wider area.

Ms Millar said they were "primarily settled out with Glasgow city" and that "was always the intention".

She added: "Most of the people who were accommodated in the ship have in fact been settled in neighbouring local authorities. Some slightly further away. We did work to prioritise people who would need to remain in Glasgow due to complexity or vulnerability.

"It has worked incredibly well and I need to say really impressed by neighbouring local authorities and the support on this piece of work, it really was exceptional."

Scotland has received a total of 45,172 visa applications through the UK's Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, which includes those sponsored by the Scottish government and individual sponsors.

Of that number 38,205 visas have been issued.

A Scottish government spokesman said the use of the cruise ship was a "temporary measure".

He added: "Guests will have access to the support they need to build a home in Scotland for as long as they need it.

"The Scottish government and Glasgow City Council are working intensively to support the remaining guests on board MS Ambition to make an informed decision about their onward accommodation, which may include a hosted arrangement, social housing or alternative welcome accommodation.

"Where possible the matching team will seek to match people to accommodation that meets their needs but recognises that there are housing pressures within the Glasgow area."

In Edinburgh, the most recent figures show 1,125 people were being housed aboard the MS Victoria.

It docked in Leith nine months ago and the Scottish government said it would continue to provide "safe accommodation for displaced people" until June.

But the City of Edinburgh council has warned there is a "substantial risk" to homelessness services if no long-term plan is put in place to accommodate refugees.

Story by Local Democracy reporter Drew Sandelands