Northumberland Ukrainians: 'They are family now'

When the war began in Ukraine in February 2022, Brenda and Brian Dinsdale knew they wanted to help.

Mrs Dinsdale's grandparents came to the UK from Eastern Europe as Jewish refugees and she speaks Russian.

So Valerii Bezghubenko, 69, came to live with them in Cramlington, in Northumberland, in April 2022.

"We saw a television report of an elderly lady being pushed in a supermarket trolley and we decided to take an older person," Mrs Dinsdale explained.

"We'd run a charity in the past which had helped children affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the same region," Mr Dinsdale said.

"It just seemed the right thing to do."

Mr Bezghubenko is among more than 200,000 Ukrainians who have come to the UK since the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme began two years ago.

He is from the Donbas area of eastern Ukraine, which has seen heavy fighting following the Russian invasion.

His wife is Russian and moved with one of their children to Moscow. His other two children remain in Ukraine.

He is now in a rented flat but still keeps in close contact with Mr and Mrs Dinsdale.

"Brian and Brenda are my English family - my new family," he said.

"They are so good, just marvellous, wonderful."

Three visa schemes were set up following the invasion: the Homes for Ukraine scheme, the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Ukraine Extension Scheme.

Samantha Rees, 57, from Hayden Bridge, Northumberland, was one of the first to take advantage of them.

Her son's Ukrainian girlfriend, Dasha Hohu, was already in the UK so her mother, grandmother and cousin came on the Ukraine Family Scheme.

"It was so difficult to sort the paperwork," Mrs Rees remembered.

"But finally they got out of Ukraine and into Moldova and from there they flew to Edinburgh where we met them in March 2022."

One of the three, Illia, 16, has gone back to Ukraine, but Natalie Khomenko, 47, and her mother Valynta Khomenko, 72, are still here and are renting their own house.

"They were just so lovely," Mrs Rees said.

"Communication was a problem but they were always cleaning and cooking for me.

"I did it for Dasha but I'd like to think I'd have done it anyway."

Ukrainians who have been granted visas have rights to access work, benefits, healthcare and education.

Chris Green, who owns R. Green & Son Butchers in Longframlington, Northumberland, took on Volodmyr Belei, or Vova as he is also known, as an apprentice butcher in January last year.

The 36-year-old had followed his wife and family to Rothbury where they were taken in by a sponsor.

"He's done his first year, with another year and half to go," Mr Green explained.

"He's working really well, his work ethic's excellent, he fits in with the team really well so they'll always be a job here with us for him."

Mr Belei said he was "very grateful" to Mr Green and the people of Northumberland.

"It is a very peaceful place, I would like to stay if possible," he said.

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