Ukrainian mother hosted by Worcestershire family moves into flat

A Ukrainian mother who lived with a family in Worcestershire says it was the "right decision" to leave her country as she moves into a new flat.

Alla, her seven-year-old daughter Yeva and her baby Ostap were welcomed into the home of Sylvie and Simon Baduel-Butler in Martley last year.

The couple offered up their home as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Alla said it was a hard decision to leave after the Russian invasion but she was happy in the UK.

It is a year since the invasion and a minute's silence was held in the UK on Friday to mark the anniversary.

UK sponsors agreed to house Ukrainians for a minimum of six months after the scheme was launched last March, with councils now finding them accommodation or them continuing to stay with families.

Alla said she was pleased with her apartment in Hallow and was now preparing to move in with her children.

"I remember the day [when Russia invaded Ukraine] and I will remember it for all my life," she said.

"It was such a difficult decision to leave the country and I didn't know what to do – sometimes thinking about it, was it a wrong decision or a right decision, but I think it was the right decision.

"Now I can live in a safe place. My children can go to school, got to toddler group and enjoy life."

She said they all enjoyed Christmas together and her son had now turned one and was starting to walk.

Her host Sylvie said her family was happy to help families relocate because of the war.

"We knew it was quite an historical event and that it would have an impact on our lives, but we didn't think it was going to have such an impact," she said.

"Over the days that followed I started thinking it would be quite good to do something, we didn't know what to do and then it came clear that and I was looking on Facebook that Ukrainians needed hosting.

"I started looking actively and found, eventually, Alla on the Facebook group."

Alla said she was not sure what the next chapter of her life would be like but had adapted to living in Worcestershire.

"It was a difficult decision to leave [the] country and nowadays for me it's a difficult decision to understand what I want to do.

"Yes, what happened in Ukraine it's a difficult decision to come back because we adapt to living here.

"I continue enjoying my life and believe in victory."

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