Ukrainian mother and son start new life in Somerset

A family from Somerset has said opening their home to Ukrainian refugees was "just the right thing to do".

"We had room in our house and it was what we wanted," Vicki Bridges said.

Some 30 refugees are expected to be hosted by other families at Oakhill in Somerset once their paperwork and visas have been processed.

"We are very happy to be here now and people have been very kind, all people in the village, they met us very warmly,"said Maryna.

She decided to cross the Ukrainian border into Poland with her son just after Russia invaded the former Soviet state in February.

"It wasn't too difficult," she said.

"We moved to Poland on the train and waited for a visa.

"An English volunteer helped us move to here to Oakhill.

"At home we were hearing sirens every day and decided it was time to leave, we were so scared.

"My son is happy to be here and he is able to go to the local school."

The two families have been spending the past few weeks finding a new way of living together in the same house.

Mental health nurse Vicki Bridges said: "We had to think about how we were going to be able to manage the situation and all is going well.

"Maryna and Vlad came on their own so we felt we needed to support them."

Tristan and Vicki have teenage boys themselves so they wanted to come up with a way for both families to make the new arrangements work.

"We spend most of the day apart but come together to eat as one family."

Maryna is still in regular contact with the rest of her family who have chosen to remain in Ukraine for the moment.

Vlad's father remains in Ukraine but has yet to be called up to fight.

It is hoped 28 more people will soon be allowed to join families in the Somerset village and the surrounding area.

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