How the Alnwick community is supporting Ukrainian refugees 1000 days post-invasion

Around 500 Ukrainian refugees are residing in Northumberland after fleeing from the war, with around 40 living in Alnwick today, many in sponsor homes or some who have moved on to rental accommodation.

Several local charities and organisations have formed to support the Ukrainians in the community, offering support and raising funds which they say is as important today as it was at the start of the war.

Andrew Duff, chairman of community support group Alnwick Homes for Ukraine, said: “Most Ukrainians in the Alnwick area have settled in well and have felt very welcomed in our community.

“We continue to receive expressions of gratitude from those families that have been welcomed here over the past couple of years.”

Andrew expands on the continued need for support, more than 1,000 days on: “As Ukraine faces an increasingly uncertain future, we are receiving more requests for help with sponsorship, hosting and accommodation to rent – there is a real need for people willing to step forward, open their hearts and their homes.

“We are seeing signs of a second wave of refugees, who have stuck it out in the hope of peace, or loyalty to their country, but who now see little hope of a ceasefire.”

Alice Good, from Alnwick, formed a nationwide charity – Sunflower Sisters for Ukraine – aimed at protecting vulnerable women and girls seeking refuge. She recently received an MBE for her work, and continues to also organise local events and fundraisers.

Alice talks about the benefits of residing in Northumberland when seeking help: “When we have women asking for support, a lot of them want to be in London or big cities but I say you’re not going to get the same support in these communities.

“If you come up north to the rural communities, you’re going to get more support.

“We’ve got loads of networks across Northumberland, but we all come together arranging social events, outings and furniture for when they move on from their sponsors to their rental homes.

“For example, I had a woman come to my village last week with her daughter who had no winter clothing, so we quickly rallied around to help.”

“There’s a lot of trust now between the communities, we’re working really well together, a lot of solid friendships have been born out of this.”

Barter Books has also opted in to help the cause, with the business providing three jobs for Ukrainian refugees as well as English lessons.

Alice revealed: “We've also got Barter Books involved, they do language classes for those who don’t speak too good English, and we do fundraising events which I organise three or four times a year.”

Ukrainian singer and refugee Vikktoria Rekin has lived experience of finding a home in Northumberland after she was forced to flee with her five-year-old daughter at the start of the war.

Thanks to the help of Sunflower Sisters, she now lives in the Alnwick area, helping out and performing at fundraising events such as the Ukrainian Christmas.

She shared her experience: “We came to Northumberland because of a great organisation called Sunflower Sisters, they helped during the war from the beginning.

“So, we asked if they could find us a family to be a sponsor for me and my daughter, and she found the lovely and wonderful family who lived close to Cramlington.

“They are now for us like a real family, we are no longer living together as we moved a year ago, but we still speak regularly.”

Vikktoria expands: “I know a lot of Ukranians living in Northumberland who are having a good life and have ingrained well – most of them have high education.

“I am a master of law actually, I had a business in Ukraine and everything was good so its hard for us to change everything.”

Vikktoria now works as a team leader in Co-op, alongside singing and teaching singing lessons: “People need to understand that it wasn’t our wishes to be here and we are not lazy, we are paying people working hard, building our lives, buying property and giving back to the country.

“I’m now so happy to say that the Mayor of Alnwick has invited me for the third year to sing in his carol service.”

A Ukrainian Christmas will take place on December 13 in St James’ Church, Alnwick, from 11am to 1pm, aiming to unite the Ukrainian and British people, giving the refugees an opportunity to express their culture.

All funds raised will go towards sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine through Ukraine Aid Express and Sunflower Sisters for Ukraine.