'I want to give Ukraine refugees the welcome I had'

A woman who arrived in the UK ten years ago with only a suitcase, has signed-up to welcome Ukrainian refugees into her home.

Tina Wnukowska from Gloucester is one of thousands of people to have registered on the government's Homes for Ukraine site to host a refugee.

The 38-year-old said she wanted to return the help she and her family received after arriving from Poland.

"We worked hard to get what we've got and we want to share it," she added.

Ms Wnukowska is originally from Lodz, Poland, and now lives in Quedgeley with her husband Gniewosz and two children.

"We came here over 10 years ago now with one suitcase and a little child and we had people who helped us to build our life here and I think it's really important to give back.

"We have quite a large house which enables us to rearrange it in a way so each side would have privacy. We are in a position to help," she said.

Ms Wnukowksa, who works in the NHS and is a student nurse, said she doesn't know how long a refugee would stay with her family but is ready for the commitment.

"I wouldn't mind up to a year but it depends on how things are going in Ukraine.

"It's really hard to say. It needs to be more than just a few weeks and I'm ready to do it," she told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

Ian and Fay Howard from Swindon have taken in refugees from North Africa and the Middle East in the past and have also registered for the Ukraine scheme.

They said giving refugees a loving home had been very rewarding, but encouraged people to think about the day-to-day practicalities such as suitable bedrooms, cooking meals and cultural differences.

"Are we going to expect them to be out of the house all day when we're not here, or are you happy for them to have open access?

"These people have come from a war zone so they're carrying various traumas and issues that we can't possibly understand.

"The first thing you do is accept them and give them a loving home. You're doing this for them, you're here to serve people whose lives have been ripped apart," Mr Howard told BBC Radio Wiltshire.

Meanwhile, Somerset County Council has voted to set aside an initial £250,000 to support Ukrainian refugees arriving in the county.

Leader David Fothergill said he hopes the UK will host a "generous number" of refugees and paid tribute to the "remarkable acts of bravery" of people in Ukraine.

"I've no doubt many of our residents will want to take part in the resettlement scheme.

"You should have no doubt that this council will do all that it can to support them, and the Ukrainians who will shortly be joining us in our Somerset family," he added.

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